


A Blessing in Disguise

by TardisCrew



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Adventure, Danger, Doctor in danger, Everybody in danger!, F/M, It’s a mystery too!, Rose as sacrifice, sleuthing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:14:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26275480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisCrew/pseuds/TardisCrew
Summary: After a shattering nightmare the Doctor takes Rose to a beautiful planet to help her recover but gradually they discover all is not what it seems.  As elements of Rose’s dream become disturbingly real, the danger and risks drive their relationship into new territory and a dawning realization of what they mean to each other.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 30
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

Rose was screaming in her sleep when she scrambled off the bed racing away from the horror in her dream. Landing on the floor, still thrashing, she groaned in pain from the bump to her head and her stubbed toe. Wiping the perspiration from her forehead she struggled to shake loose the dream when her bedroom door slammed open to a wild-eyed Doctor.

“Rose!,” he cried, scooping her up effortlessly, “bad dream?”

She nodded, groaning as he set her down in the bedside chair while he quickly straightened up her bedding which had been tossed into tangled heaps by her panicked explosion of motion. Rose had been desperate to escape the monsters.

“Now then Rose Tyler, what do you need? Tea? Talk about it? Just tell me what will help you and I’ll do it!”

Slumped in her chair Rose listlessly pushed her disheveled mop of hair out of her face. She felt a mess and she was exhausted. Her thinking was confused and she needed sleep.

Her voice weak and subdued, she asked, “Can ya tell me a story? No monsters, maybe tell me ‘bout someplace beautiful you visited. I need sleep.”

Lifting her once more, he sat with her sideways on his lap, leaning against him with her head tucked under his chin. 

He was talking about some far away planet with cornflower blue skies and orange clouds but Rose wasn’t fully taking in what he was saying, although she managed to mutter, “Can we go there?”

Mostly she was listening to how he sounded. The Doctor’s voice could be very soothing and she thought he knew some kind of Time Lord technique for modulating his voice to make people relax. It sounded hushed and moved like caramel over words with a timbre that comforted and then there was his calming vanilla scent and his syncopated hearts beat. She floated, drifting with his voice, and was sure she was falling under a spell but she didn’t mind. 

Her last thought, before sleep took her, was why did he smell like vanilla and not bananas?

Once he’d tucked her in he stayed until she entered REM sleep. Everyone had nightmares from time to time so he wasn’t that concerned. Besides his companion was particularly resilient and often surprised him with her ability to carry on through the real life nightmares they often faced. Still, he would question her in the morning to satisfy himself nothing serious was going on. Perhaps he’d take her to a beautiful planet. Having things to do, he left satisfied she was sleeping peacefully.

Trudging into the galley the next morning she was greeted by the Doctor.

“Ahh, good afternoon Rose Tyler. Nice to see you at last!” 

“Leave off will ya, Doctor,” she groaned. “Feel like I been hit by a lorry. Cuppa ready?”

Handing her a mug of tea, fixed the way she liked it, he whipped out the sonic and scanned her. 

“Hey, whatcha scannin’ me for?” she grumbled closing her eyes as she swallowed her tea.

“In a manner of speaking, you were hit by a lorry Rose. Don’t you remember? I don’t mind telling you the screaming from your room was quite shrill!” he teased joining her at the table.

She was still waking up and he watched her eyes narrow in confusion until he saw her remember. Taking a good draw of tea she blinked rapidly, her lush eyelashes fluttering as she explained, “Oh yeah, the bog people.”

“Rose, you were literally running out of your bed while sleeping. You were screaming and hurt your head and toe. Tell me about this dream,” he ordered.

“You’re not the boss of me ya know,” she glumly responded.

“You’re crabby and not yourself and you are on my ship and I am responsible for your well being,” he pointed out.

She tried to maintain a neutral expression but he saw the flash of anger, like quicksilver, smolder in her eyes briefly. It took a brave man to argue with ‘Rose Tyler Morning Person’ but luckily she was now fully awake and had decided not to start a fight with him.

“If you must know, my dream was about bog people,” she declared as though it was none of his business. “I was sinking in a smelly, sludgy bog and just when I thought the over hanging branch I got hold of would help me get out of the bog, I felt bog people hands pulling me down and they felt squishy and gross and the bog really smelled....”

“Putrid?”

“Yeah, yeah it smelled putrid like dead people. What d’ya think it means Doctor?”

“Well,” the Doctor opined, “the psychologists would say to dream of a bog represents feelings of unbearable struggling to get through a problem or feeling stuck in the middle of an unpleasant situation that will never let you get away from it. It could also mean feeling forced into a quagmire, a fear that there will always be another problem turning up to prevent you making progress.” 

The Doctor’s brows lifted suddenly as the implications of his spiel sunk in.

“Is that how you feel Rose, about me, about being here with me?”

“Don’t be daft Doctor! I love being here. You know that. Hate to break it to ya but psychiatrists are not always right.”

Studying her he knew she was telling what she believed to be the truth. Certainly, no other companion had enjoyed travelling the stars as much as Rose Tyler.

Thus reassured the Doctor asked, “So what do you think provoked your dream?”

He watched her take another sip of tea and saw what another observer would have missed, the slight tremor in her hand. 

“Oh I don’t know, maybe the bloody awful bog planet we visited two weeks ago,” she replied sarcastically.

Maintaining a neutral expression, he knew she was making a show of being cavalier but that tremor gave her away. Her dream had truly terrified her and still was. This was all bravado. He’d need to keep an eye on her. 

“Hmmm, dreams are not usually that literal, Rose,” he pointed out.

“Yeah but that planet gave me the creeps Doctor. I can still smell it. Anyhow, where we goin’ today?”

Rose wasn’t in the mood to be the subject of his observation. He had the ability to completely detach himself from any situation to become neutral observer and emotionless questioner. Rose found it unnerving at the best of times.

Instantly morphing back to what Rose called ‘faking the right response’ Doctor, he smiled broadly and declared, “We can go anywhere Rose, anywhere your heart desires!”

“Can we go to the orange cloud planet Doctor?” Rose asked, her eyes still studying him.

“‘Course we can!” the Doctor declared. “But there is one teeny wee issue I should mention.”

Rolling her eyes, Rose sarcastically asked, “Oh here we go, so this beautiful planet is inhabited by flesh-eating zombies, slug vampires? What is it then?”

“My, my such a vivid imagination,” the Doctor laughed. “Nope, no zombies or slugs but the planet does have a rather large bog but we won’t be going there.”

“You’re not gonna accidentally land in it are ya?”

“Rose Tyler you take that back!” he huffed. “Go on then, get your kit on. Climate is temperate and casual clothes are fine. People are humanoid, a lovely shade of pink so you’ll fit right in. They have pointed ears and are hospitable to aliens. Just wait til you see it Rose! The planet is lovely.”

By the time they left Rose was in better spirits. Slapping his chest outside the TARDIS doors the Doctor exclaimed, “Ahhh, smell that fresh air Rose!”

“Really?” Rose asked, smiling up at him. “Everything looks beautiful Doctor but doesn’t it smell a little funky to you?”

Puzzled, the Doctor took another olefactory draw, testing the air. “Hmmm, it does seem a bit...ripe,” the Doctor agreed. “It is spring, perhaps it’s fertilizer season.”

“Maybe,” Rose said doubtfully, “where we goin’ then?”

“Come along Rose. I know a place for lunch. We’ll get the skinny from the locals, visit some of the shops and explore.”

She slipped her hand in his. “Thanks Doctor for bringin’ me here. I’ve shaken off my dream and I’m ready to explore a new planet.”

The Doctor smiled broadly. “Off we go then!”

It was truly a beautiful planet and postcard perfect, Rose thought, as she looked around at their surroundings, hurrying along beside the Doctor. With his long stride it wasn’t long before they entered a charming village with lots of outdoor eating spots and gift shops. Settling on a spot about half way down the Main Street they settled at a table outside so they could enjoy the profuse hanging flowers and the charming little bistro they’d chosen. 

The food was safe for her and quite delicious with lots of nibbly items, delicious crunchy vegetables and dips as well as the local equivalent of chips which made Rose swoon. Over the local equivalent of tea the Doctor asked Rose what she thought.

“‘S real nice here Doctor, beautiful ‘n I’m glad you brought me,” she smiled.

“But?” he coaxed, interested in her observations.

“Well, have ya noticed the people here are lookin’ at me funny? And, another thing, they’re scared. Something is wrong here.”

“Yep, you’re right Rose. Looks like our work is never done. I’m sorry. I just wanted you to have a break, a nice day on a nice planet with no monsters,” he sighed.

“It’s okay Doctor. It’s not your fault. It’s another adventure is all.”

“Here’s hoping a safe one,” he replied, signaling their waiter.

“We’ll take the bill now. By the way, we couldn’t help but notice a lot of people looking at my companion with concern. Have we offended them in some way?”

“No sir,” he replied shyly, “it’s just that your companion resembles the statue in the town square. Our legend describes a visitor who will come and save us.”

“Save you from what?” the Doctor asked, intensely alert as he always was when it involved Rose.

“Disappearing,” the waiter replied, shrugging his shoulders.

What is this statue called?” the Doctor pushed trying to find a place to start their inquiries.

“‘The Willing Sacrifice’, Sir.”


	2. Chapter 2

On their way to the town square Rose tried to make light of things. “Ten quid says somehow I’m gonna end up in the bog on this planet,” she quipped trying to sound unconcerned. 

But the Doctor knew her bravado was paper thin. She was staying close to his side, holding his hand.

“Done!” the Doctor declared. “I’ll accept that bet Rose because you’re not qoing in any bog!”

“We’ll see, Doctor!”

He knew she was afraid and felt her grip on his hand tighten. When they rounded the corner and entered the town square Rose gasped and stopped dead in her tracks. There stood her image cast in bronze.

Rose was gobsmacked staring up at the statue. 

Meanwhile the Doctor studied the bronze version of his companion astonished at the likeness, down to the stance with her hands on her hips looking at someone as though they were daft!

“Rassilon Rose! It’s an exact image of you. What do you notice about it?”

“It’s me,” she replied. “But maybe not this me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, my statue hair is longer than my real hair has been in awhile. Hasn’t been that long since the last you, and I haven’t worn those jeans since then either. ‘Member they got shredded in the TARDIS dryer?”

“Yes, how could I forget? I heard about it for weeks! But Rose we never visited this planet together in my last incarnation.”

“Yep,” Rose answered slowly, “I know I’ve never been here with you yet I feel like I have been here before. What’s going on Doctor?”

“Oh that is deliciously interesting! I love a mystery Rose Tyler, don’t you?”

Not answering his rhetorical question Rose smiled watching him totally absorbed with her image. Even if she’d asked a question, he’d stopped paying attention, currently more interested in the base of the statue.

After a few minutes watching him scan, she asked, “Well, what d’ya think Doctor?”

“I’ve been to this planet before but not with you so I surmise someone must have seen you somewhere else and come here to make this statue. And,” the Doctor reported, “I think sometimes a statue is more than just a statue. I also think we need to see...”

“Don’t tell me,” Rose interrupted, dead serious. “We have to go to the bog!”

“I’m afraid so Rose Tyler, but you shall stay in the TARDIS!”

“Yeah right,” she stated, “it’s not like I can just hide away and leave you in danger. What if you need help? What does the scan say?”

“There’s some kind of equipment in the base of the statue. It’s hard to know what it’s purpose is because it’s shielded. But there’s a couple of guesses I can make.”

“Go on then,” Rose asked, “whatcha thinking?”

“Hmmm, some kind of warning buoy maybe. But then I may just be influenced by the lovely image and kind heart of my companion. That said, why a warning with your image?”

Rose blushed at the compliment but she was interested in the mystery too. “Yeah, it seems like a lot of palaver building a statue. Why not shove a few rocks together and put up a warning sign? You got any other ideas?”

“Could be a portal or doorway from here to somewhere else,” the Doctor mused. “But I got to say the thing that bothers me most is the name of this statue. I don’t like it. ‘The Willing Sacrifice’, is not a title I want associated with you Rose Tyler!”

“You’re telling me,” she muttered. “I don’t want to be sacrificed to the bog people!”

He stared at her, wondering why everything seemed to come back to the bog people for her. 

Wanting to break the tension, not to mention his unnerving stare, she made her best attempt at light heartedness, “Well then, we have us a mystery. But why do you think we need to go to the bog?”

“I’ve got a theory Rose Tyler but I need a sample from the bog.”

He clearly didn’t want to be specific but she wasn’t having it. “Yeah but what is it about your theory that makes you want a bog sample?”

“When I was last here my TARDIS scan measured the bog from space, which was, as you’d expect, in a naturally swampy area of the planet. Here’s the thing Rose, the bog has grown....a lot ...and it’s no longer confined to swampy areas. That’s just weird!”

“Oh great,” Rose sighed, “a putrid, growing swamp! Can’t ya just scoop a sample from the TARDIS or analyse it from inside?”

“Come on Rose!” The Doctor grabbed her hand and they ran towards the TARDIS.

“Why d’ya suppose I remember being here before Doctor? Rose asked, breathless, as they raced into the TARDIS.

“Haven’t a clue Rose!” the Doctor excitedly crowed. “That’s the thing about mysteries Rose. You have to look for the clues, construct hypotheses from the clues and test the hypotheses until you eliminate those that don’t fit the facts and you’re left with the truth.

“How very Sherlockian,” Rose laughed.

“Nonsense Rose, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle modeled the Sherlock character after me! So you might more properly observe how Doctory the Sherlock character is.”

Rolling her eyes at his enthusiasm Rose couldn’t help but feel more confident and less afraid. He’d moved the TARDIS near the bog. In a few short minutes he’d donned a face mask, lab coat, latex gloves, scuba mask goggles and some sort of containment vessel materialized ready for his use.

Then he walked up to her, staring into her eyes through the daft looking goggles. “Now Rose, I’m going to race out there get a sample and return. I’ll be five minutes tops. You should stay here and keep watch on the monitor.”

To his surprise she didn’t disagree out right. “Doctor I’ll stay inside if you’ll do two things. First, tether yourself to the TARDIS and second, program her to fly upwards if the swamp people grab you.”

“Rose, it was just a dream! You’re being silly,” he soothed.

But Rose was firm. “Those are my conditions or I’m going with you and when the bog people get you I’m going to throw you a rope ‘n if the bog people get me too, at least I’ll go where you go. Please Doctor!”

He thought she might cry and he did NOT want that! Whatever had happened in her dream had terrified her yet she was willing to follow him into the bog. How could he refuse her when her concern was for his safety?

“Whither thou goest eh? Alright Rose,” he smiled, “better to be safe than sorry.”

She threw her arms around him. “Thank you Doctor!”

As he scurried around the console making the necessary arrangements he kept one eye on her. 

“Rose you do know that bogs don’t walk around snatching people, right?”

“‘Course not silly, but they do reach out and snatch people that get too close!”

She turned to look at him knowing he was probably thinking she’d gone bonkers. 

“Doctor, ya gotta admit we’ve seen some real daft things in our time together yeah? Stuff no one would believe, plus there’s a lotta strange coincidences, like my dream, the statue, the growing bog so is it so weird to imagine a sentient bog?” 

Relieved that Rose’s reaction had some logic to it, at least from her point of view, he reminded himself how often her instincts were on point. 

“Okay Rose. I’ll grant you there could be such a thing as a sentient bog and the coincidences do seem odd. So we’ll play it safe. I’m hooked up, the TARDIS knows what to do so I’m off to get the sample. Come on then, keep watch at the monitor.”

Rose watched the Doctor walk to the edge of the bog attached to a metal cable hooked to the TARDIS console. The container he was using had a three foot long handle so he didn’t have to come into contact with the bog to get a good scoop of material. She felt relieved he was taking her concern seriously.

As he bent to take his sample the smell assaulted him and he noticed the material that made up the bog was subtly moving. Water beneath the bog material could account for the movement or maybe Rose was right. Either way, he wasn’t taking any chances. He scooped up his sample swiftly and slammed the lid shut. Walking slowly back towards his ship, the Doctor took great pains not to drop his sample.

As Rose watched from the monitor she could see the cable attached to the Doctor’s waist had coiled around his one foot. With the Doctor’s attention focused on the containment vessel he would soon be tangled and might trip. Racing down the ramp and out the TARDIS door she signaled him the stop. 

“Doctor, you’re all tangled in the cable. Let me help you.” Signaling him to lift his left foot she shook the cable loose and moved it to his one side.

“Doctor, did you notice some of the bog stuff slopped over the side of the container when you scooped it out?”

Rose pulled the excess cable length to the side and behind him so he could walk the rest of the way unimpeded.

“I did notice the bog goop but don’t worry Rose. I’ll have the TARDIS sterilize it before we go inside. See Rose, we managed the next step in our investigation, easy peasy!”

When she didn’t answer he turned, “Rose?, ROSE!”

Horrified at what he saw, Rose had somehow been pulled into the bog with only her arms desperately reaching up and her nose and mouth protruding. 

“Rose!” he hollered, unhooking his cable and racing to the bog, “grab the cable!” 

The Doctor used all his speed and precision to throw the cable so she could feel it in her hands. His hearts were pounding.....she caught it! She seized it! 

“Hang on Rose!” he yelled.

He pulled with all his might against resistance that just wasn’t natural. He was rewarded when he saw her head emerge from the bog. Arm over arm he pulled against the resisting force of the wretched bog until her shoulders were visible and the excess cable gradually puddled beside him. Just when he heard her cry out for him the bog reared up and swallowed Rose right in front of him as the cable smoked back through his hands and disappeared into the bog with a loud snap as the cable broke from it’s tether with his ship.


	3. Chapter 3

Racing towards the TARDIS, his mind was on fire. He had minutes to find her and get her out of the bog or she’d suffocate. How did malleable bog material have the strength to break a metal cable tethered to his console? If that wasn’t enough, the dropped containment vessel had spilled and below it a mini bog had formed and was expanding towards the TARDIS.

Grateful his ship’s door was ajar where the cable had been, he raced towards her, leapt high over the newly formed puddle bog and swung through the blue door, slamming it shut behind him. 

Oh Rose, Rose, hold on he kept repeating, cursing his time sense that relentlessly counted the seconds. Fiercely pushing it to the back of his mind, he was assaulted with imagined images of her terror which would increase her heart beat, increase her need for oxygen. She would try so valiantly not to struggle, not to breathe until she couldn’t anymore and then she would die horribly with the rank bog filling her mouth and lungs.

He had to take precious seconds to find her coordinates in the bog so he could rescue her with the TARDIS tractor beam. Hearts pounding, he ruthlessly applied Time Lord discipline to clear his mind as he studied the read outs. 

What? What? In Rassilon’s name what had happened? She wasn’t there! Where was she? The bog was slightly acidic but not corrosive so it could not have dissolved her body. He was shocked to discover the bog was only five feet deep and there was a cavity below with breathable air. Whatever the space below was, it existed everywhere below the bog across the planet and that had not been the case the last time he’d been here!

First things first, she was alive! She would have slipped through the bog into the oxygenated cavity. Something big was happening here and whoever was involved was somehow shielding what was happening in the open space below. Was that what the waiter at the bistro had meant when he said the image of Rose was meant to save the people from disappearing?

Taking a moment to breathe, his hands fisted with white knuckled anger at himself. Oh Rose you hang on because I’m coming for you he thought. I will always come for you. Why had he doubted her? He didn’t like to admit it to himself but Rose was a joy to him and, unlike his other companions, he found it difficult to maintain his impartiality where she was concerned. Lately he even found himself pandering to her hoping she would want to stay with him. Her terror was NOT helping him make the case! 

His people would have punished him for his lack of discipline which was, according to them, necessary for impartial decision making. He shook his head in frustration. Fuck them! The truth was his sins were far greater than that. 

He’d almost lost her and she remained in great peril. He felt ill thinking of the title on the statue. His intention to save her and the planet coalesced into a vow. If that wasn’t good enough too bad! 

Turning back to the console his brain quickly assimilated the underground cavern structure. From this moment on he would remember, with perfect clarity, every nook and cranny of the structure. As a result he knew the safest place to land his TARDIS. He could have raced out and jumped in the bog but with the bog forming under the TARDIS they would be better off in the cavity where they could find and save Rose. 

With all her might Rose held onto the cable the Doctor had thrown to her until the tension ceased and she slipped back into the putrid muck again. Horrified that her dream foretold her death, her throat filled with the bile of her terror. She was slipping ever deeper! Pleading for a quick death she thought of the Doctor and remembered. He never gave up. Never! Nor, would she.

Just before she slipped under she managed to suck in a last breathe. She hoped her last gasp wouldn’t just painfully prolong her death. 

Odd, she thought, but her feet felt no resistance from the bog, then seconds later her knees and she could freely move the lower section of her legs. As though the bog was giving birth to her she slipped out of it altogether into an empty space. Deprived of oxygen too long, her burning lungs sucked in what she hoped was breathable air. Immediately she started spitting out the putrid bog bits on her lips but then was forced to suck them back in when her need to breathe won out. It was disgusting and she smelled horrid! 

Suddenly water jets blasted her washing off all the detritus from the bog. Like a water-logged nymph Rose looked up and saw a young girl staring at her curiously.

“Hello,” Rose said with a smile. Pointing at herself she said her name, then pointed at the girl.

But the girl pointed at her lips and shook her head no. Then she motioned Rose to follow her.

Standing to follow, Rose was quick to assess her surroundings. She realized she’d exited the bog down some sort of chute. This bog was something made rather than naturally created but for what purpose she didn’t know.

Turning her attention to the being she was following, Rose thought the alien looked like a young waif of a girl with sparse wisps of white hair, round black eyes and a slim, short body. Her skin was maroon as were her trousers and tunic. Altogether she presented the image of a slightly bonkers elf. 

Certain it was the haphazard tufts of white hair that made her look elf-like, this alien couldn’t speak but did that mean she was mute or maybe a telepath? Rose remembered the Doctor had warned her against making assumptions from a human perspective. She reminded herself that for all she knew this being could be male or even asexual. 

Rose didn’t know if the Doctor would ever find her because he would think she was dead. But the more she thought about it the better she felt. She was pretty sure he’d want to recover her body to take her home to Mum. If he didn’t find her in the spot where she’d gone under, he’d sift the whole bog with his sensors til he did. If he still didn’t find her he’d know something was up. 

There were few forces in the universe stronger than the Doctor’s curiosity. When he didn’t find her body he’d come for her! Feeling reassured she committed to be ready with all her observations when he found her. 

At length the alien came to a door and motioned Rose to enter. She saw clothing laid out on a bed. While the room was fairly utilitarian the clothes were posh. There was a gossamer dress with silver ballet slippers and a wide silver belt. It was fairly low cut and sleeveless. There was a ring of carved silver leaves she assumed were intended to circle her head. Looking around the room she saw a basic loo but it had a shower to her relief. When she looked around the alien was gone and when she checked the door was locked.

The Doctor’s scan had illuminated several intriguing facts. He knew people captured by the bog were moved towards funnels where they slipped into the space below. Real bogs were inanimate. This bog was unlikely to be sentient, more likely some sort of tool operated and used by sentient beings for their own purposes. The fact that the bog was unnaturally expanding across the planet threatening the surface inhabitants was something he had to stop.

Landing his TARDIS behind an alcove tucked away from the central corridors and nowhere near any funnel exits from above there wouldn’t be much foot traffic in the vicinity. His scan also told him exactly where a human heart was beating. One sole human heart but it was Rose’s heart and it was precious to him and there was no force that would stop him from getting to her.

Moving quickly the Doctor employed all his techniques for silent movement as he headed towards Rose’s last scanned coordinates. By the time he got there he’d only had to tuck himself away once while someone passed. Slipping into the room the Doctor was disappointed to find it empty but she had been in the room. 

He saw her jeans and hoodie and smiled when he saw she’d left silver slippers behind in favor of her chucks. She must have been offered clothes. Then he saw the silver head crown. She’d left it behind too. Clearly someone wanted her adorned but why? Could it be related to the Rose statue? He smiled again thinking how much like Rose to prevent her unknown host from dressing her up after stealing her in the first place! 

Scanning again with the sonic he noted her new coordinates but then heard someone approaching so he hid behind the loo door leaving it partially open so he could peek. He didn’t recognize the alien’s species but he did know genetic weakness when he saw it. This being would not live long. 

Was it possible genetic experimentation was the purpose of this place hidden beneath the bog? While it was too soon to make that conclusion it was a place to start. Was the bog a creation designed to protect this place from discovery and to provide a steady supply of surface dwellers for experimentation? It was most definitely not a typical bog. With his mind humming with possibilities and from his hidden spot, he watched the maroon creature look around directly at his hiding spot and stare but then it hastened to the bed where it snatched up the silver leafed crown and quickly left the room. Apparently whoever had wanted Rose all dolled up was not impressed she hadn’t worn it. He kicked himself for not having scanned it. 

Slipping silently from the room he followed the frail maroon creature at a distance until he saw the creature slip through a set of double doors. Shortly after, he cracked the door a smidge and saw a large well appointed, apartment. It resembled a large bowl with the top of the bowl lined with a circular walkway lined with doors to other rooms. The bottom of the bowl was a large room with a fireplace framed by a library of sorts, luxurious furnishings and generally very posh appointments with a large conference table and desk near the library section..

Assessing the surroundings in a flash and seeing his opportunity, the Doctor waited for the moment the maroon alien drew attention away from the slight movement he made as he silently slipped through the double doors and behind the first door on his left into a posh loo. He kept the loo door slivered open so he could enjoy a line of sight to the sunken living room below. 

Nothing would have stopped him from taking the chance because Rose was in that livingroom, looking so lovely in a silvery gown, her arms bare and toned and her golden hair falling in naturally tussled curls. She was beautiful and it irked him no end to notice the tall male in the room below was eyeing up Rose’s attributes as well. But there she stood, defiant, pointing her finger and cute as all get out in her chucks and shimmering gown. 

The alien handed the crown to the male who was clearly in charge and quickly turned to leave but paused on the top level looking at the door where the Doctor was hidden. Quickly, it looked away and left through the double doors. The Doctor had stepped back to avoid being seen but the door was open a crack. Had the alien simply noticed that or had it sensed him there?

Turning his attention back to Rose the Doctor saw her refuse to wear the crown offered to her. She was too busy castigating the stranger for kidnapping her and dragging her through smelly muck and demanding to be let free. Suddenly she stopped briefly then demanded access to a loo. The Doctor watched the stranger chuckle and point to the very loo the Doctor was in. He must have activated a remote of some kind because the Doctor heard the double doors lock.

Lifting her dress Rose raced up the steps and swung through the door, closing it behind her. 

When she saw the Doctor the first thing she said was, “You owe me ten quid Doctor. Now turn around I gotta pee!”


	4. Chapter 4

“Now turn around, I gotta pee!”

Dutifully turning his back, the Doctor declared, “I don’t know why you’re so shy about a simple biological function Rose.”

As Rose sat peeing, she crisply retorted, “Yeah? Well, why don’t you just whip it out and have a whiz in front of me then!”

“Ahh, I see your point Rose.”

As the seconds ticked by the Doctor observed, “Seems like you really needed to pee Rose.”

“Will you shut it about peeing! D’ya not think there’s more important things to talk about?”

“Quite right! First and most important Rose, are you alright? I...I missed you and I came to get you as soon as I could but I’m sorry I took so long.” He was agitated and his voice was emotional for him and Rose softened.

“Yeah, I’m okay Doctor ‘specially now that you’re here. I was so scared you’d think I was dead!”

Finished on the loo Rose headed to the sink but the Doctor swept her up in his arms. 

“Don’t scare me like that again, Rose! Surely you know I’d never leave you, not even if you had perished!”

She threw her arms around his shoulders and her soft breathe caressed his neck. “I know Doctor, but I had to calm down to realize that!” 

He knew the seconds were ticking by but he could hear her heart beating which was immensely preferable to the alternative and besides, he didn’t want to let her go. 

“You know Doctor for you bein’ a Time Lord ‘n all, isn’t it amazin’ how often we’re pressed for time.

The Doctor nodded in her embrace. “Yes, it’s an irony. I’ll agree with you there.”

“I looked up ‘irony’ in the dictionary once,” Rose continued, “and I even looked for opposite words to help me understand better. But they made no sense, total rubbish and right in a proper dictionary!” She stayed nuzzled into his neck not wanting to leave the comfort he was giving her.

“Don’t be silly Rose. The opposite of ‘irony’ is ‘wrinkly’,” he chuckled. 

Rose giggled, reluctantly leaving his arms to wash her hands at the sink. “So, what’s the play Doctor?”

“I need a bit of time to investigate without being discovered. Can you safely keep the jerk occupied?” He held her chin for emphasis. “Rose, he seems inordinately interested in you. Don’t be the hero. Just tell me if you have any doubt at all. I mean it!”

“Yeah, I know what you mean about him Doctor. He says he’s a scientist, a very hands on scientist apparently! Goes by the name Trenton. Whatever this is all about, he’s in charge of it but I can handle him and maybe find out what he’s up to down here.”

The Doctor hesitated but he knew Rose hated to be coddled. Finally he said, “Okay Rose, but you be careful and don’t provoke him and I’ll see you soon.” 

“Not if I see you first!” she smiled, sweeping out of the loo and down the stairs.

Once again, the Doctor watched on the sly waiting for his chance to slip away. He did not like what he saw.

Trenton waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. As she slipped past him he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him forcing a kiss on her and attempting to place the silver crown on her head. Instantly Rose rammed her knee squarely into his crotch. 

As he doubled over crumbling to the floor with his eyes scrunched closed in pain, the crown briefly encircled Rose’s head and the Doctor saw her go blank, like she blinked out or turned off. But her momentum tipped the slightly too large crown tumbling to the floor. Rose snatched it up and sent it sailing up the steps, landing at the double doors. 

With his blood boiling at what Trenton had done, the Doctor wanted to bolt through the loo door to ring his neck but clever Rose had sent him the crown to disable. 

Rose winked at him when he slipped out of the loo, picked up the crown, disabled it’s circuitry with the sonic and threw it back to her. With Trenton curled on the floor they both knew he had not seen the exchange. After sonicing the double doors open, he swept through them and looked back at Rose to see her give him a thumbs up. Trenton didn’t know what hit him, was none the wiser that the Doctor had been there and Rose could wear the disabled crown to reverse manipulate Trenton. 

On the other side of the double doors the Doctor was worried what Trenton would do when he recovered. He’d been kicked in the gonads and wasn’t going to feel very charitable towards Rose. There was no way he was leaving her now. He had to make sure he didn’t have to intervene.

He knew this scientist wouldn’t kill Rose. After all, it was no accident she’d been taken by the bog and brought here. They wanted something from her. If she refused, the crown was intended to ensure her cooperation. This was too elaborate a set up to be about sex. Still, if Trenton attacked Rose again he’d be at his throat in seconds and seconds later Trenton would never have sex again. 

Aware of his exposure standing in the open, he looked around shocked to find the little alien standing on his left. It pointed at the double doors, it’s ears and then made a ‘follow me’ motion. Did this alien want him to follow to a place where he could listen safely? 

He decided to take a chance. The alien scurried down the hall on the left and around the corner. Looking around nervously it opened a nondescript door and urged him to enter. Once inside he realized it was some sort of recording booth probably to keep records of Trenton’s meetings, not that unusual for scientists. Quickly the maroon alien flipped a switch and the Doctor’s eyes lit up as he heard Trenton groaning and saw him struggle to his feet.

Not wanting to risk Trenton hearing his own voice from the booth, the Doctor quickly turned down the sound until it was only audible to his Time Lord hearing. The diminutive alien stood at the booth door, slightly open, alert to anyone coming. 

Before the scientist could say anything, Rose interjected, “Look Trenton, or whatever yer name is, there’s not gonna be any rumpy pumpy between us. Ya got that? Cuz, if not, I’m gonna bean ya with this stupid crown, ya hear?”

Watching attentively the Doctor smiled at her pluck, once again struck by her courage. Trenton was tall and overshadowed Rose but she was talking back, standing her ground and not giving an inch all the while brandishing the silver crown like a weapon. Of all his companions he admired her most and worried about her the most. He worried she put herself at unnecessary risk to earn his praise and he admired her most because she was from an underprivileged background yet she had grown the most, learned the most.   
The Doctor harnessed his senses and all his physical strength to be ready. He’d already calculated how to get to Trenton as fast as possible if he tried to harm Rose. The placement of this room overlooking Trenton’s quarters could not be more opportune. He would launch himself through the darkened window of the little room and land within two feet of him, all without a sound. It would be game over for Trenton. 

Trenton had been shaken by his failure getting Rose to wear the crown. Now he’d have to lure her to his purposes with beguiling lies. He’d start with gentlemanly reassurances. Attempting to regain his composure he addressed her, “Very well, we’ve gotten off to a bad start and it’s all my fault. I should not have presumed and for that I apologize. I’ll have you escorted back to your room. We’ll meet again at dinner and we’ll discuss how you can assist me to help the people of this planet.”

When the Doctor turned to deal with the little alien she was gone. A short while later she showed up in Trenton’s quarters to pick up Rose. How could the alien have heard Trenton? There was more to the frail alien than met the eye he was sure. Adding that to the list of things he wanted to investigate he knew he had to get started so he’d have time to get to Rose’s room before she had to go to the dinner with Trenton. 

Normally he just waltzed in and took over but when he didn’t want to be detected it could be next to impossible to do so. Part of being invisible meant not being heard and that meant turning the sound off on his sonic. He hated doing it because he liked it’s whirring sound just as he liked the sound the TARDIS made. He wondered if his fascination with their sounds stemmed from being alone, from wanting to fill the silence with something, anything.

Suddenly he sensed he was not alone. How had someone gotten so close undetected? He whirled around to find the maroon alien staring up at him. She put her fingers to her lips and motioned him to follow her. She lead him through a labyrinth of twists and turns pulling back in a few spots to hide, until someone passed. 

In the first hiding spot he saw nothing but metal plating. Then he was lead up a flight of service stairs of some kind. Once again the alien emphasized the need for silence as it pointed to his feet, leading him up and up and then onto a circular metal walkway near the roof. The Doctor stepped very carefully not betraying their location. Below they overlooked a laboratory where scientists worked around a funnel from the bog but this one had a latch that opened and closed allowing the scientists to control and feed the contents of the bog into metal casts, humanoid shaped casts. Suddenly things were looking decidedly sinister.

On the way back the alien stopped them three times during their escape holding them in place as minutes passed, then leading them onwards. There could only be one explanation. This willing alien helper could hear people’s thoughts and could do so at a distance. But his thoughts were shielded so how had his diminutive sidekick found him? Had she sensed his shield instead of his thoughts?

As they approached the listening booth they’d been in, he opened the door and directed her inside. There was such a disparity in their heights he took a chair hoping to be less intimidating and closer to the alien’s height. 

He raised his hand slowly to her temple asking with his eyes to telepathically connect. The alien nodded as though not used to having much choice.

“Hello, I am the Doctor. I thank you for helping me. May I ask your name?”

Tentatively she answered, “I have no name.”  
He couldn’t say whether she had sexual organs but her psyche read female to the Doctor so he asked, “May I name you Evelyn?”

She shrugged her agreement and once again the Doctor sensed she rarely had the option to choose.

“What is your planet of origin?” The Doctor smiled trying to make his question as non threatening as possible.

“I do not understand the question. I came to be here. I was made here.”

The Doctor’s eyebrows shot up as his mind raced. Testing a wild hypothesis he asked, “Were you made from the substance you showed me in the lab?”

She nodded.

“Thank you for helping me Evelyn but why did you decide to help me?”

“I wish I had not been made. I am not like others. I am made with no purpose but to serve and be punished. You are different. If I help you maybe you could help me not to be.”

Bubbling with enthusiasm the Doctor looked into her eyes. “Evelyn, you may have been made but that doesn’t mean you don’t have value. You are special! You know what they’ve done is wrong and the way they treat you is wrong! You have a right to live free, to make your own choices!”

The Doctor was struck by the risks she’d taken to help him. He didn’t want to end her. He would free her and show her what life could be and if she still wanted to die, well, he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.

Changing the subject he asked, “Evelyn how did you learn language?”

Again she shrugged but finally she pointed at her head and said the creators put some words in her brain so she could know enough to follow instructions but then she found out she could hear inside their heads and learned new words.

“Do the others here know you can hear the words in their minds?” She shook her head signaling ‘no’.

The Doctor was beside himself with excitement. “Evelyn you are brilliant! Not only are you a telepath but you can learn. It’s amazing what you have done!”

Evelyn did not know what to make of this Doctor but she felt how much more he was than anyone else here. He wanted to help her. He didn’t want to hurt her or give her orders.

“Evelyn, where you are now is tiny, one tiny bit of all that is out there,” he enthused, spreading his arms and looking up. “It’s wondrous. Would you like to come with Rose and me? I can help you I think. You would be free to make your own choices, to learn new things, to explore all that’s out there.”

“If I go with you then will you help me not to be?”

“Evelyn if you come with me I hope you will want to be.”

Evelyn rarely looked anyone in the eye but she did with the Doctor. Then she said, “I’ll go but if I want not to be then can you help me?”

Nodding sadly the Doctor thanked her again and added, “It’s time for us to move on so no one is suspicious. I won’t leave without you. One last question before I go. Do you know why Trenton is so interested in Rose?”

“He wants to make better beings with her.” 

The Doctor’s interest spiked tenfold and fear rippled through him.

“Why her? How does he know her?” He tried to modulate the intensity of his demand so he didn’t scare her.

“I don’t know why. He knows her from another place with lots of living things that are mostly dead,” she said, mimicking his earlier gesture illustrating the vastness of space, “out there, beyond here.”


	5. Chapter 5

Rose’s door was no match for his sonic and he slipped inside quietly only to freeze in place at the sight of Rose vigorously toweling off her wet hair, standing stark naked in the middle of the room.

His hearts pounded and he knew, he just knew he would be discovered frozen in place, ogle eyed, taking in her naked form but he couldn’t stop even though he knew it was wrong.

Rassilon she was beautiful! She was golden, full and round in the right places, toned and slim and oh she was puckered and pert in exotic places as pink as her lips! He stared and memorized every golden inch until he heard her gasp of discovery. Rapidly turning his back to her he hoped she believed he’d just entered.

“How long you been standin’ there?” she demanded.

“Apologies Rose, just got here,” he squeaked.

Scrambling for her stupid dress, the only garment she had besides her dirty jeans, she ordered him to turn back around. Looking him over she declared, “Liar!”

“Rose,” he whined, “how was I to know you were naked?”

“Coulda knocked, ya know!”

Breaking into a long winded justification about normal people not being naked in living rooms rather than bathrooms he was interrupted when she argued that everyone knew it was normal to be naked in livingrooms when it was the only room available because they were in PRISON! 

But the Doctor noticed her flushed face and studied her averted gaze and thought it was more than embarrassment animating her features. He couldn’t put his finger on what she was feeling but he didn’t think she was mad at him.

“Rose,” he said, his voice soft like caramel, “you are beautiful all over.”  
He watched her blush furiously but she looked at him curiously. “Ta, Doctor but I didn’t think you were interested.”

Enigmatically he replied, “Beauty is .....,” he paused, his dark eyes unknowable, “always captivating.”

Studying him standing tall with his hands behind his back Rose didn’t miss the clever way he’d avoided her question. And the git knew it too judging by the hint of a smirk on his lips. Game on, she thought. Let’s just see about your interests Mister.

He remained still, studying her until she huffed, “Well, what’s up? Whatcha find out!”

As the Doctor filled her in Rose studied him. Oh she fancied him but he’d never allowed himself to be in a position for something to happen between them but there was no doubt in her mind she’d felt a sizzle of electricity between them just now. If they could avoid getting killed she was going to explore this turn of events!

Explaining to Rose he definitely owed her ten quid because she’d been right all along about the bog, he confessed that Evelyn was a bog person! 

But Rose didn’t gloat. Evelyn may be a bog person but, apparently, she wanted to help them in exchange for a promise the Doctor would bring her to an end because she knew she was wrong, made wrong! It was sad and already Rose felt sorry for her.

“So you got any ideas where Trenton saw me before Doctor?”

“Not a clue, just Evelyn describing it as a place with many living things, mostly dead. Mean anything to you?

Rose didn’t know so the Doctor concluded maybe it would become clear as they learned more. 

“Oh, and Rose, before she left Evelyn said she would be serving at your dinner tonight and if anything goes wrong she’d find me. Also, if you need to escape, the TARDIS is here. If you have any concerns you run straight past this door, past three branching corridors and then a sharp right, past the alcove she’s tucked in on the left.”

“Okay, got it. Feels better knowing she’s here. Where you gonna be?”

“When Trenton’s at the dinner I’m going in his quarters to look for evidence of what they’re doing here and why. In the meantime I’m going to study the tiny piece of bog goop I managed to scoop into this vial.”

Proudly he withdrew a vial from his suit pocket to show her. Then he started frantically slapping his pockets. “Rassilon I near forgot this. Can you hide it somewhere Rose? It’s a panic button.”

He took her hand and placed the lipstick sized object. “Just press this end Rose, here, and I’ll be there.”

Smiling up at him she nodded. “Thanks Doctor. Be careful okay?”

He nodded. “I don’t want you to be a willing sacrifice Rose.”

She stepped into his arms. “Nor me, nor me.”  
Standing alone at the TARDIS console the Doctor reflected on their current status. While they had made a dent in figuring out what was going on and even acquired insider help from Evelyn, he remained uneasy. Whatever all this was about it seemed to require some sort of sacrifice from Rose involving ‘making better life’. He wished he could just lock her in his ship but she’d never agree to that. 

He’d chosen to analyze the bog sample in the console room where he’d arranged for the TARDIS to alert him the moment Rose was on the move. Hearing the ping he put his glasses on and bent to study the results. What? It was a soup of DNA from dozens of species across this sector of space. The DNA came from the broken down tissue and bone of those trapped by the bog. No wonder it smelled rank! Bogs usually preserved anything trapped in them, mostly due to the lack of oxygen and the cool conditions. 

He recognized the DNA from a handful of species but asked his ship to isolate and identify all the DNA types in the sample. That would take some time but he felt it was important.

Based on the sample the Doctor knew the people of this planet formed the most substantial share of the DNA but why the off-world DNA? They’d made Evelyn from this macabre soup. Were they mixing interspecies genes and making new DNA strings? What were they hoping to create? And how did they engineer this malleable soup to move and break cables?

Evelyn must be the result of one of their experiments. She was telepathic, unlike the local species, but sadly riddled with genetic weaknesses. It infuriated him their callous experimentation had doomed Evelyn to a short life. It was odd though that they’d missed her telepathic ability, an ability that he suspected they’d prize. Somewhere in the process they’d missed or not recognized the gene sequence that lead to telepathy.

Looking up at the console he had an uneasy feeling this might all be nothing more than the age old desire to breed superiority, to gain advantage through genetic manipulation, to conquer weaker species. There was nothing wrong with the planet’s natural species! This was a murder bog and this scientist and staff were stone cold killers. 

Snapping into action the Doctor’s fingers flew over the monitor as he hacked into the planetary I.D. records. He didn’t know Trenton’s last name so it would take the TARDIS longer to find him and his records. Then he asked his ship to cross reference Trenton’s presence to any location where he and Rose had been together in his ninth incarnation. 

When the ping came that signaled Rose was on the move he watched for a few moments to see where in the complex she would end up. Leaving the TARDIS busy with the work he’d assigned, he slipped through the blue doors headed to Trenton’s quarters. 

When Evelyn arrived, Rose thanked her for her help and told her she really wanted her to come with them when they left. Rose thought she smiled slightly. Because she was telepathic Evelyn would know a smile was a welcome of sorts and was meant as a gesture of trust so she was experimenting with returning the gesture and it pleased Rose.

Not knowing what to expect from the ‘dinner’ she had to attend, Rose steeled herself for everything from a banquet to a dinner for two. She carried the crown tied to her silver belt. It wouldn’t be easy to detach it without forcing her but if they did she’d be ready with her vacant stare. 

When she was led into the room there were five men there, all looking like science type people, the sort that didn’t spend much effort on anything but their work. All of them looked native to the planet, tinged pink. Standing around at loose ends, they turned when she entered the room. They all looked very nervous.

After introductions Rose was relieved they sat for dinner straightaway as she had no intention of making small talk. For crikey sakes! She was a kidnapped prisoner. 

As Evelyn served, Rose was aware of the awkward feeling around the table so she decided to turn it up a notch.

“So, why’d ya kidnap me, drag me through that stinking bog and imprison me?”

She was faced with dead silence, pin drop silence.

“Go on then, fill me in. What do you want from me?”

Trenton smiled, clearly not in the least shaken whereas the others looked guilty as sin. Rose knew whatever Trenton’s story, it would be a lie.

“You certainly have a flare for the dramatic,” Trenton chuckled shifting in his seat, leaving Rose to wonder if he was remembering her foot connecting with his bits. “I’m afraid our reason for bringing you here, while a life and death matter, is hardly so dramatic.”

“Is there a point anywhere in my future?” Rose asked with a bite to her words.

A flash of anger flared in his eyes but he quickly suppressed it. Rose saw it and smiled slightly so he would know she was wise to him. 

“Very well. Our people have a genetic weakness affecting our ability to produce viable offspring. We still produce offspring but they are sickly and do not live long. We are gradually dying off. This team and I seek to reengineer our DNA to strengthen our genetics and by extension our viability.

Rose remained silent waiting for him to make the link to her.

“We need a sample of your blood to see whether your genetics could be the answer to fixing our problem. If it is, and with your permission, we would ask for eight pints of your blood. Obviously we couldn’t take that in one sitting. It would have to be taken over several weeks but we would try to make your stay as comfortable as possible.”

Arching her eyebrows, Rose exclaimed, “So you couldn’t just ask me? Ya know, be civilized about your request? As it turns out, of course I want to help your people. Bring me the equipment and I’ll withdraw a pint for you myself so you can see if I have what you need. Under the circumstances none of ya are earning my trust, right now!”

Trenton signaled one of the scientists who left to get the paraphernalia. Rose nibbled and sipped then asked, “Why’s there a statue of me in the town centre?”

Trenton seemed startled. “I didn’t know there was. You see we’ve been here for several years working on this problem.”

Watching him carefully Rose asked her most important question. “Why’d you make this bog?”

Unfortunately with the return of the scientist and the equipment Trenton was able to brush off her question. 

Rose withdrew her own blood right at the dinner table, handed it over and stood. “Right you lot, I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite. You know where to find me.”

Irritated, Trenton nodded at Evelyn to see her back to her room. For her part Rose knew he wasn’t telling the truth about the blood, at least not the whole truth. As for the statue, she was inclined to believe him. She didn’t think he’d ever seen it. But why had the bog grabbed her and not the Doctor?


	6. Chapter 6

Once again the Doctor moved like a wraith down the hallway, silent and unseen. Once through the double doors, he moved down the steps to Trenton’s library desk. Not wanting to risk discovery, he intended to be in and out quickly. Judging by the precision Trenton brought to the organization of his desktop, he was an ordered person, almost obsessively so. 

He soniced open the locked desk drawer and knew he’d found what he needed. Focusing on the exact arrangement and relational placement of items in the drawer, his eidetic memory would ensure it’s exact recreation. Removing Trenton’s personal journal of ‘progress and problems’, he used the sonic to photograph each page. Returning everything to it’s exact spot he closed the drawer, replaced the chair exactly and returned to the TARDIS. 

Wishing Rose was safe with him in the TARDIS he kept glancing towards the console waiting for the bleep that would tell him she was safe back in her room. As a result he was having trouble concentrating on Trenton’s manual, currently displayed on the monitor. So far Trenton’s team had been unable to ensure stable endoskeletons in their creations. They were considering artificial alternatives. 

He wondered if the dry scientific language being used helped these scientists to dismiss the horror they were creating. To create a sentient being doomed to collapse in on itself in a painful lingering death was to willfully torture life as far as he was concerned. Evelyn would be so afflicted and he knew it was already happening to her. To make matters worse he couldn’t fix her without using an external skeletal structure. It would be a difficult, painful way of living.

As he read on he realized they were designing a potential skeleton from metal and remembered the metal plating he’d seen on his way to the lab with Evelyn. He’d need to scan it to know whether it would work. The real question was why? Why were they doing this? 

He heard the ping that told him Rose was back in her room. Within moments he was at her door, this time with a soft rap first before he entered.

“You okay Rose? What happened?

“Yeah, I’m good Doctor but that creep is up to somethin’! Well, I guess that’s obvious innit but let’s just say I’m more convinced then ever.”

Evelyn had left her a plate of food so she signaled him to sit on the bed with her and put the plate between them. As they nibbled they shared discoveries.

“See Doctor, Trenton said their people are dyin’ out cuz their kids are not livin’ long cuz of genetic weaknesses and they needed to find a way to strengthen their DNA. He wants eight pints of my blood only if it’s judged suitable for their purposes. I gave him one pint so they could test it. But I didn’t believe his story for a minute.”

“Brilliant Rose and you are, of course, right. I looked at the bog sample and it’s full of DNA from the bodies of many species but most are from this planet’s people! I’m sure they didn’t just jump in the bog!”

“Eewww!” Rose gasped, “so I was dipped in the juice from dead bodies ‘n it was in my mouth! Oh my gawd, yecch!”

“Afraid so,” the Doctor agreed sympathetically. “I’ve got the TARDIS identifying all the different species from the DNA in my sample. What else Rose?”

“Well, speaking of the bog, I asked him what it was but he avoided answering. And why would he? I mean Doctor, why would scientists supposedly working for the greater good of the planet’s people work in secret underneath a bloody bog full of dead people? And why would the planet’s people be afraid of disappearing?”

“Exactly!” the Doctor echoed. “What else?”

“Oh yeah, two things. I asked about the statue of me and he seemed quite surprised like it was news to him and I believed him. Said he’d been working in the labs for two years. But, he’s hiding his real goals, not to mention his true face. Whatever he’s after, if he gets it, he’d kill us without a second thought and we’ll end up in the DNA soup. Oh my gawd Doctor what if he gets your TNA?”

Seeing her shiver and knowing how much she’d already been through, the Doctor quickly moved the tray between them and pulled her on his lap wrapping his arms around her. 

“Rose, I don’t want you going back. I got his journal and I think I can piece together what they’re doing. Come with me back to the TARDIS. Let’s spend the night there. In the morning I have to analyze some metal plating but then I think we’ll be able to figure things out.”

Buried into him Rose remembered doing the same after her dream and how reassuring it felt. He made her feel brave and now he was offering her a break from it’s demands.

“Really! Oh, I would luv that! Plus they’re not likely to come back tonight cuz they got their sample.”

But the Doctor kept hold of her and Rose wasn’t going to stop him. At length and out of the blue he confessed, “Rose, I didn’t like it when he tried to kiss you.”

“Yeah? Why’s that then? Afraid he’d hurt me?”

“Yes of course or worse but if I’m honest it was more than that. I was jealous, plain and simple,” he said as though surprised at his own admission. “Time Lords are not supposed to be jealous of their companions Rose.”

Not wanting to break the magic moment she found herself in, Rose stayed relaxed in his arms desperately wanting to explore this confession with him before his mercurial, ‘avoid difficult topics at any cost’ nature shifted and he shut down any discussion of the matter. But to her surprise he asked her another question.

“What do you think it means Rose?”

“Well, I don’t think it’s that odd really. I mean, if you think about it, we have an amazing life together travelling the stars. We’re best friends, laugh in the face of danger together and maybe you didn’t want someone else to take something you feel is yours.”

When he went suddenly quiet Rose panicked she’d gone too far too quick so she decided a confession of her own was in order.

“I’ve been jealous of you too Doctor,” she said.

His reaction was instant. “Really? When? Where?”

“‘Member, on that moon we went to, the one that was nothing but a market and that tall redhead kept rubbing up to you. I wanted to clock her, ya know.”

“Really?” He seemed astonished but fascinated and if she was any judge he was pleased at the news. 

Hoping she was reading him correctly she informed him, “I wanted to be the one close against you Doctor.”

Suddenly he was all action, pulling her from her warm snuggle. “Come on Rose, shake a leg, let’s get to the TARDIS!”

Damn, she thought, I went too far and now he’s spooked. “Blimey, Doctor,” she protested, “what’s gotten into ya?”

“You!” he said fixing her with a toe curling look.

Rose felt the ‘I-could-be-killed-any-minute’ tension slip from her frame replaced by the ‘something-exciting-might-happen-with-the-Doctor’ tension. Gawd that alien kept her hopping but she loved it. 

As they ran up the TARDIS ramp the Doctor gleefully called out, “Meet you in the library Rose in half an hour?”

She gave him a happy smile heading to her room for a shower. “I’ll bring the tea and snacks,” she yelled down the corridor.

Right away she knew something was up when she entered the library and found the Doctor pacing nervously. She’d learned her best tact was not to push so, setting her tray down, she fixed his tea and set it down pushing it in his direction.

“Somethin’ on your mind Doctor?” she casually asked, sitting primly in her spot, taking a sip of her tea.

Pacing around he seemed to come to a decision. “According to the practices of my people...well, ....I’d ask your Mother but, under the circumstances I can hardly ask her permission.”

Now totally perplexed Rose was once again reminded how interesting life with the Doctor was not to mention how challenging understanding him was. 

“Well, guess you’ll have to settle for me then,” she smiled.

“That would be irregular but needs must I guess.” 

Finally he sat in the armchair. “I am seeking permission to begin courting you.”

Rose forced her body not to spit out her mouthful of tea in shock. He was being so serious as if it was a solemn request in the manner of Time Lord society. It would not be good to start laughing, teasing or joking.

Swallowing her tea, she asked, “And what would such a courtship involve?”

“Well, that’s the thing Rose, I’m not exactly sure how Earth men court but I’m assuming they might....go for walks with you, maybe go to amusement parks or movies? Oh yes and take you to dinner in posh places and oh, oh,” he said snapping his fingers as inspiration struck, “maybe sight seeing, yes they would take you sight-seeing to places of inspiration.”

He looked at her expectantly and he was visibly nervous. For her part Rose was astonished and working hard not to show it and to remain calm.

“Those are all excellent choices Doctor. You’d think you came from Earth.” 

She saw his shoulders relax as he nodded vigorously clearly happy he understood the fundamentals.

“Doctor, remember that time we went for a picnic on Lamda 2 and we jumped off the waterfalls into the hidden grotto?” Rose asked.

“Yes, Rose, see, that’s an example of sightseeing AND an activity like going for a walk.”

“Yep,” Rose mused, “and you don’t need to worry about the movies cuz I get to watch movies with you from all over the universe and in a time and space ship on a huge screen. Hard to beat that I reckon.”

“Yes, that’s true Rose.”

“Mind you it’s gonna be hard to best all the planets and posh places you’ve taken me and that includes past and future...and all over the universe really. Plus, I get to dress up in posh gowns and jewelry from the wardrobe room.”

“You seem to be making a point Rose. Care to clarify?”

She smiled coyly, the tip of her tongue visible, “Well, Doctor, I think we’ve already been courting. You don’t need to do it all over.”

His eyes never left hers when he asked, “Did it work?”

“Hook, line and sinker!”

Rose leapt off the sofa and cuddled next to him in his chair. The Doctor sighed happily.

“Are you ready then for the next big step in our courtship?

“Well, let’s see,” Rose grinned smiling up at him, “best friends, check, trust, check, attraction, check, sex, still waiting!”

“Really?” the Doctor asked, “would you, with me?”

“Been waiting for ages. You may be brilliant Doctor but you can be thick sometimes.”

The Doctor laughed with delight thinking to himself that he’d obviously aced it. Then he took her hand and lead them out of the library.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose was nervous and her stomach was full of butterflies. She assumed he was taking them to her bedroom or maybe his but after a bit she realized she didn’t know where they were going.   
She’d feel foolish if she was misinterpreting his intention.

“Where we goin’ Doctor?”

“It’s a surprise Rose,” he smiled. “A place for us to enjoy each other.”

Looking up at him she was reminded how laughable she’d always found descriptions of sex in the many bodice rippers she and Shareen had shared back and forth. But looking into his handsome face with those dark chocolate eyes she finally understood what it meant to drown in someone’s eyes, just like in the romance books. 

She really, really hoped his interpretation of ‘enjoying each other’ matched her own or this could turn awkward in a hurry. Time Lords sometimes had different views than normal people on how things should go. Then she really started to fret when she realized she didn’t really know if the Doctor had the same bits as Earth men, assuming he even wanted to share those bits with her. Maybe it was some weird alien ritual involving temple caresses. He was a telepath!

And bloody hell they were still walking. Where were they going?

“Rose, something wrong? You look a little pale. Are you having second thoughts?”

“Nope,” Rose said snapping out of her imaginings, “just wondering where we’re goin’ is all.”

“Wonder no more Rose. We’re here!” the Doctor announced, opening double doors off the corridor.

Rose stepped in at his invitation and gasped, her hands flying to her face in astonishment.

“What is this place?” she whispered.

Pleased with her reaction, he swept his arm around the enormous, cavernous space filled with galaxies full of stars, drifting multi-coloured gaseous clouds, distant suns and streaking comets, that appeared to rotate around them.

“This is the observatory. It’s as close to open space as you can get.”

The Doctor studied her astonished face, watching her look around. 

“Blimey Doctor this is a pretty impressive date!” As she looked around she spied a bed, a huge bed made with plush, luxurious bedding.

Pointing at it she asked, “How’d you know what I’d say?”

“I didn’t know Rose. Sometimes I come here just to see the splendor. Once in awhile the turning universe calms me enough I am able to sleep. So you see, this bed has been here for ages. I wasn’t presuming you wanted me.”

“Doctor,” Rose asked, stepping into his arms, “Why now? Why’d you want to court me?. ‘Member you said Time Lords must remain free from personal relationships so they can make impartial decisions. You never seemed interested before.”

“Come on, Rose. Let’s get comfortable. I’ll answer all your questions and if you change your mind we’ll enjoy the observatory together.”

Rose smiled up at him. “Ten quid I can beat ya to the bed!” 

“You’re on!”

By the time they launched themselves onto the giant bed, they were laughing full heartedly and it did ease their tension but not their hopes.

Rose sat cross legged and the Doctor lay sprawled on his back looking up at her.

“You look beautiful framed by the stars Rose.”

“Wow, you can be a proper sweet talker but a bet’s a bet and now ya owe me twenty quid! But, if it makes ya feel better, I have to say you look gorgeous framed by a bed we’re in together!”

Like always with the Doctor his mood shifted, somehow more solemn. She smiled taking his hand. 

“I will always want to be with you Doctor but you gotta admit it’s an about face for you. Will you tell me what changed your mind? See I thought you couldn’t because you’re a Time Lord and it was against your laws to be with, oh, I don’t know, a lesser species?”

The Doctor looked up at the stars. “There is nothing at all lesser about you Rose!”

Rose knew he meant it.

“Well, the Doctor began, “where to start? After the time war it took a long time for me to function again. I don’t know if I’ll ever come to terms with what I did but eventually I wanted to honor what my people were, to respect their laws and to be the last best example of all that they were. I interceded where needed to correct the time lines and I helped planets and people where I could, where it would not break the edicts and laws of the Time Lords. But I rarely felt entirely right about it.”

Looking at Rose to gauge her reaction he saw she was listening attentively so he carried on. 

“As time went on my isolation increased. I had enjoyed my companions before the time war because they were brilliant and I learned from their points of view. Their perspectives made me question the Time Lord way even before the war. And then, after the war, you came on board and, well, let’s just say, you had quite an impact on me.”

Rose laid down beside him and snuggled in with her head on his chest. “Go on Doctor, I’m listening.”

“From the beginning you were brilliant Rose. Full of life, bright, inquisitive and learning, always learning. The people we’ve helped, they all trusted you because you understood them and knew how to talk to them, you got involved and gave of yourself. I questionned my approach even more because of you. Maybe a change in my approach, based on what I’ve learned would be a more fitting legacy to leave. My people did great things but our laws were premised on a fundamental error.”

Rose whispered, “They thought they were superior to everyone else?”

“Exactly Rose.”

“Anyhow, we lived aloof and distant which meant we didn’t have to feel the consequences of what we did. Our relentless devotion to logical, theoretical analysis of options did not always result in the best decisions. I believe we might have made better decisions if we’d been less distant.”

Rose didn’t interrupt his train of thought as he stared off at the overhead display. “I thought maybe I should live like other people, understand their reality, experience the same joys and sorrows they did. Maybe I could understand things differently, find better ways, better remedies.”

The Time Lord shifted onto his side, pulling her up so they were looking into each other’s eyes.

“Maybe all this blather is nothing more than a weakly reasoned rationale to justify me getting what I want and that’s you Rose. I want to court you because you make me happy and you make me better. Honestly, it’s astonishing to me how much I think about you, worry about you and imagine us being a proper couple.” 

She had listened to him with all her attention and then she sat up, keeping his hand in hers.

“It’s so vast here Doctor, so still and quiet. I imagine when you came here, trying to sleep, you could hear your own hearts beat. That must have made you feel lonely. In the stillness here you must have remembered all that you had and all that you lost because of the decision you had to make. I think you felt shame and came here to punish yourself. I can’t change what you decided Doctor or make the consequences of that decision go away if we’re together. All I know is that I don’t blame you and I will stand with you and I won’t ever tire of you because I love you. But, if you want me because you need a distraction from pain, please don’t, because you will tire of me and when you do, it will destroy me.”

Staring at her in astonishment, stunned by her devastating insight, the Doctor was on his knees in a flash, with his arms crushing her to his chest.

“No, no, Rose,” he whispered in her ear, “not a distraction, never that. You are the joy in my life. Please believe me! If you accept me you’re well and truly stuck with me. Please Rose!”

“Okay,” she said quietly.

He held her at arms length, his eyes frantically studying her face, “Are you saying yes, Rose? Please say yes!”

With a tongue-touched smile Rose said, “Yeah, ya plum!” 

Embracing him she kissed him and he kissed her back. At first it was delicate and tentative, an exploration of potential promise. Soon it was rabid hunger as their bodies pressed tight against each other, their kisses deepened, and their hands desperately sought access to flesh still shielded by their clothes. 

He was sucking her ear lobes and licking her neck and she had her hands on the trouser clad cheeks of his gorgeous bum pulling him tight against her where her need was becoming urgent the more she felt his hardness grinding against her. The floodgates of arousal opened and chemicals gushed through their veins driving them to tear at the clothing that dared impede their access to flesh and touch. 

At first she thought she was imagining things but she felt his power and strength flooding her senses. His need, his desire hit her like a tidal wave. Clothes went flying and when at last she was sprawled in front of him, totally exposed, legs spayed in invitation, she studied him in awe. 

From the starlight enhancing the planes of his face and the lustre of his gorgeous wild head of hair to the intensity of his black eyes, he was beyond her wildest hopes. His frame was slim but muscled and perfectly proportioned from his strong shoulders to his slim waist and powerful thighs. She’d been worried about his bits but her half lidded eyes stared at his jutting erect length in lascivious delight. 

When he spoke his voice was deep and low and it made her spine tingle and she couldn’t control the undulation of her hips or the whimper from her lips. Her body had dissolved into begging and she knew her voice would soon follow.

“Rose, you’re so beautiful, beyond my wildest imaginings!”

She followed his diamond black eyes studying her lady bits then to her surprise he leaned closer inhaling her scent, like he was imprinting her, like if ever he was blinded he would find her in a crowd. She noticed his arousal spike as his length notched up firmly against his belly. Then a gasped squeak of surprise escaped her lips as he pulled her up against him, softly bending her head to his chest.

“Breathe me in Rose, always remember my scent.”

Rose didn’t need convincing. As she breathed him in, her tongue licked his chest and she thought she might swoon and then she felt his hardness against her belly and his swirling fingers against her nub and a rush of electric pleasure coursed through her. She thought she might faint until she found her hand wrapped around his length and heard his voice rumble in response.

Her mind was lost in sensation and she thought she might pass out. Everything about him was pleasure. His kisses were sex, his twirling finger at her centre made her wet and her legs tremble. Somehow she got her mouth and tongue around his swollen length hearing him hiss his pleasure. She pleasured him until every fibre and nerve of her body demanded she receive him and her body lay down in complete surrender as she opened her legs for him. She heard the rumble in his throat knowing she was giving herself to him.

With her legs folded over his shoulders he nudged against her opening. “Rose, my beautiful girl, can I?”

“Yessss, Doctor please!”

When he thrust into her she cried out with the fullness of him and held him firm as she panted, struggling to adjust to him. Heart beats later her strong thighs pulled him in and he was lost in sensation as each powerful thrust made it impossible not to drive into her wet heat again and again. 

Her last lucid thought before she surrendered to the clenching pleasure of release was how much she loved this handsome alien, how willing she’d be to give her life to save him.

His spasms of release were more powerful than he’d ever known. Just before he collapsed beside her he took in her flushed face and her liquid eyes. He thought it was love he saw shining there and then he saw her small hand placed on his chest between his hearts and he knew it too had always been the way she’d said she loved him.


	8. Chapter 8

Lying with him wrapped around her, his hearts beating against her, Rose felt was content. To know he was at rest and sleeping deeply, something he rarely enjoyed, made her happy. After the ravenous frenzy of need that had consumed them, they’d collapsed exhausted. But he was a Time Lord and he recovered quickly. Twice more during the night he’d given her pleasure she’d never known before, just like in the romance books she’d scoffed about. Lying in the giant bed glancing up at the starry canopy overhead, she smiled remembering the shattering ecstasy he’d given her . Everything had changed for the better.

With him sound asleep she wondered why she’d woken. He hadn’t said he loved her but that wasn’t his way. It didn’t matter to her because she knew he had made that commitment in his hearts. That was what had taken her from peaceful sleep. Fear, fear they would lose each other now that they were finally acknowledging what they meant to each other. 

So far her cursed dream had been bang on about the horrid, bloody bog but not about the statue which the creeps running the freak show didn’t know about it. What if the statue was a message for her and the Doctor? She didn’t know what the message could mean in that scenario but maybe they shouldn’t assume anything about it’s meaning for now. 

“Doctor?” she whispered. “Are you awake?”

He stirred and tightened his grip on her. “Doctor?” she asked a little louder.

“Hmmm? Blimey Rose, you are a hungry little minx,” he rumbled, still half asleep. “I like it!” he purred, kissing the back of her neck, delighted when he felt her shiver.

“Doctor, I’m thinking maybe that statue of me isn’t about me being the sacrifice, maybe it means something else?”

“Rassilon Rose, how can you be thinking about anything other than the brilliant time we had all night?” 

Turning in his arms to face him she nuzzled into him. “That’s what woke me up Doctor, thinking about how bloody good it was and that I didn’t want this bog business to risk what we have together!”

“Really?” he answered, clearly chuffed.

“Oh yes! It was better than the steamy stuff in my bodice rippers!” Rose was completely earnest in her explanation.

Laughing with delight, the Doctor observed, “Clearly there’s no higher compliment Rose! And I have to say, being with you was beyond my wildest imaginings. It’s astonishing to me how much you’ve changed my life for the better.”

He ran his thumb over her plump bottom lip. “You’re beautiful Rose.”

Running her hands through his hair she whispered, “So are you. I only want you Doctor. No one else could ever draw me away from you.”

The Doctor held her close assuring her, “Me too Rose, me too!”

Finally the Doctor refocused asking, “So, what’s with the statue?”

“Well, I woke up and I was thinking about us and how good it was. Then I got to thinkin’ how I never want to lose you and I looked up at the stars and got to worrying if this situation we’re in might separate us forever. Then I got to thinking that the statue might not mean what we think or what the waiter at the bistro thought.”

“Blimey Rose! That’s a lot of thinking for a person who hates to miss her sleep! So go on then, what are your theories?”

“Well, remember Doctor you said there was somethin’ going on with the base of the statue? What if it’s a tool or weapon to help us? See, I don’t think Trenton knew about the statue. Doesn’t that mean however it got here, it was built by someone else?” 

“Hmmmm, so far there are two things we do know about that statue. First is that it was not made here. The substance it’s made of may look like bronze but it’s not. It’s much harder than that and does not originate here. It takes special tools to cast it so it was likely made elsewhere...and...,”

“That means whoever made it wanted to be sure no one here could get into it’s base where it’s purpose is shielded!” Rose concluded.

“Exactly,” the Doctor agreed, “and while it’s possible Trenton knows nothing about the statue, he does know you. Remember Evelyn said Trenton knew of you from a ‘place with lots of beings that were mostly dead from out there’ meaning off planet. Trenton saw you with me somewhere in my ninth incarnation!

“But I wasn’t with you in your ninth incarnation for that long before you regenerated so we should be able to narrow it down.”

“Fair point Rose, and that’s why I shared his image with the TARDIS and asked her to find him in planetary records and cross match his presence with ours in any period he was off planet.”

“Brilliant, that should give us a clue where he knows me from and why he’s interested in me for whatever he’s up to yeah?”

“Yep,” he said, popping the ‘p’ as he rolled out of bed, walking naked to the loo.

“Where ya going?” Rose asked plaintively, while she studied his handsome form.

“Gotta go, luv. It’s still night here so it’s the best time for me to get to the metal siding undetected. Remember I need to analyze it’s composition.”

While he showered, Rose threw her robe on and half heartedly brushed her hair. He’d called her ‘Luv’ for the first time, as in she was his Luv and that simple, seemingly off-hand remark had leveled her. The Doctor didn’t say things like that by accident. He meant that he considered her his love!

It was monumental because lots of blokes would call ya ‘luv’ after a legover but not the Doctor. He’d wanted to court her! Like doing so was an honor that he hoped would lead to a commitment between them, a commitment that they belonged to each other. He treated commitments like vows. Even though, for him, such a vow carried the biggest risk because of their lifespan difference, he wanted to do it anyway! 

She was fretting about him going. She wanted to go with him, afraid if something happened, no one would be there to help him. She knew he could handle himself but there was something about this place that unnerved her even though she’d faced lots of terrifying situations with him before. 

She turned as she saw him exit the loo from his shower, fully suited, smelling wonderful with that cheeky lock of hair dancing over his forehead.

Propelling herself into his arms, she cried, “Do you have to go Doctor? Can’t ya scan the stuff from here? Can I come too?”

Hugging her he laughed, “What’s gotten into you Rose? I’ll be okay. I’m always alright.”

“I don’t want to lose you Doctor. I don’t want you to go without me.” 

Rose had her arms around his waist, her head on his chest. “I think something might happen and you’ll be alone!”

“You didn’t have another dream did you?” 

He stood embracing her, trying to soothe her, himself shaken by how deeply he was affected by her. In this still moment, with her clutching him, he felt blessed by her pure gift.

Finally she replied, “No, I didn’t have a dream but now that we’re courting ‘n all, well I fancy it ‘n I think we should just keep courtin’ forever so I don’t want anythin’ to happen to you.”

“Oh Rose, I like that idea! Courting forever, that’s brilliant, let’s do it!” 

He ran his hands up and down her back as she hadn’t let up her grip on him. Then he gently pried her loose and looked into her eyes. He was greeted with her concern and fear.

“Now, Rose, I’m going to be okay. It’s the middle of the night, I can move soundlessly and hear anyone long before they see me. Then a quick scan and I’m back. Before you know it, we’ll know what’s going on and we’ll make a plan together.”

Rose knew she couldn’t stop him so she stepped aside as he moved down the ramp. At the last minute he paused and ran back up the ramp and swept her into his arms kissing her lips with tenderness. 

“Don’t fret Rose. It will be okay.”

“It’ll only be okay when you get back Doctor,” she softly replied, placing her hands on each of his hearts.  
“It’s nice just to be able to kiss you Rose. I like kissing you. I can kiss you hello, kiss you ‘see you later’ and kiss you with desire. It’s like you’re my shelter now.” He nuzzled into her and then reluctantly walked back down the ramp and left through the blue door.

Rose watched him leave and tears slipped down her cheeks, touched to her core that he had not forgotten to find his own way to tell her he loved her, just in case, he never saw her again.

She ran down the corridor to take her shower and dress. Yes it was the middle of the night but she had to be ready in case she had to rescue him.

Moving silently toward his target the Doctor couldn’t erase her face from his mind. Rose had been distraught at his departure and he understood because if the tables had been turned he would have been too. He paused briefly using his senses to check for anyone in the hallways. Finally he reached the hiding place where he’d seen the metal panels. He took his scan, pocketed the sonic and turned to leave.

He didn’t want to leave Rose any longer than necessary so he’d analyze the scan back in the TARDIS. On his way back he was so fully occupied with thinking of their new status his attention slipped and he turned into the last hallway where he almost ran into two guards on their way somewhere.

“Blast,” he thought, as he was roughly seized. “Steady on lads! I’m not resisting. No need to get rough!”

As he was dragged away he worried about what Rose would do when he didn’t return. He’d have to escape right away and get them out of here before Rose came looking for him.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor should be back by now and Rose was frantic but what to do? Should she return to her cell and wait for Evelyn to get her? She could draw a map showing where the Doctor had been taken. Or should she go searching on her own?

Sod it! She decided not to wait for Evelyn. It was several hours until morning so she should be able to creep around. She remembered what the Doctor had said about the recording booth. She’d slip in there and see if Trenton was up early in his lair so she could spy and maybe find out where the Doctor had been taken.

She raced to her room to change back into the bloody gown. If she was caught she wanted it to look like she’s escaped her prison, otherwise how could she explain a new set of clothes. As she entered the console room she heard a ping and went to the monitor. It was the DNA analysis the Doctor had requested. As eager as she was to leave she quickly scrolled down the list, mostly species she didn’t recognize, but then her heart stopped. Oh my gawd, she thought, I have to get to the Doctor! 

Just after she left, the TARDIS console pinged again. This time the ship had identified where and when the Doctor, Rose and Trenton had been together but there was no one there to see the results.

The Doctor knew he was in a pickle and so far his only plan was to bluff his way through it. He was shoved unceremoniously into Trenton’s suites where the last four doors on the top level of his quarters opened onto a large conference room. He was flanked by the guards as he faced Trenton.  
“Oh hello!” he jovially declared. “Are you in charge here? I hope so as I am here to offer my services,” he declared. “If you will permit me, I have identification credentials.”

Trenton nodded at the guards, clearly skeptical. Moving his hand slowly to his breast pocket the Doctor slipped the psychic paper from his pocket and gave it to the guard on his right to take to Trenton.

Trenton examined the official looking I.D. It read: Doctor John Smith, MD, Doctor of Biophysics, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Robotics. Director General, Institute of BioRobotics for Kasterborous Star System, Milky Way Galaxy.

Trenton looked up studying the Doctor. “How did you come to be here?”

“Ahhh, you mean how was your secret discovered?” The Doctor rocked up and down on the balls of his feet looking for all the world like he was delighted. 

Looking around the boardroom he continued as though Trenton was incidental. “An accident really, see I come to this planet from time to time, for no other reason than to visit a lovely little bistro on the Main Street. Have you been there? It’s lovely really but oddly the waiter there was afraid of disappearing! Imagine that! Stoked my interest I can tell you. Love me a mystery, don’t you? Anyhow, imagine my surprise when I realized the exponential growth of this planet’s bog into unnatural areas. May I?” the Doctor asked pointing at a nearby painting feigning his interest in studying it.

Responding with irritation Trenton acidly answered, “Your attempts at distraction are wearing thin. You are a trespasser! I would be within my rights to shoot you or worse.”

“Ahhh, you may not want to be too hasty since I am here to assist you. Me, I’m very curious so I couldn’t resist analyzing a sample of the bog. And what did I find? A huge DNA soup, many different species and I got to wondering what was going on here, especially when my sensors detected a breathable atmosphere under the bog. So I decided to take a closer look!”

The Doctor paused, this time casting a direct look at Trenton. He knew Trenton remained unconvinced but he was intrigued. Good.

“Get on with it Dr. Smith. I remain unconvinced!” Trenton sprawled in his chair but the Doctor knew he was anything but relaxed. His heart rate had increased and if he gripped his pen any tighter it would snap!

“Well, as I said, I decided to take a closer look. Naturally I discovered your secret. Laboratories, under the bog, and your experiments using the DNA from the bog and I thought to myself how very intriguing and right up my alley. So I decided to offer my services. For someone like me this is quite simply a juicy opportunity. You see I’ve been Director General for too long, too much paperwork, too many...errr...too many inconvenient ethical restrictions shall we say. I know what you’re doing here and I have the skills to help you. I’m quite interested in your project because my current employers would never allow it.”

“And what exactly is ‘IT’?” Trenton asked, his eyes drilling into the Doctor’s.

The Doctor was quite still and his voice deceptively soft when he responded, “Creating hybrid life forms, of course.”

Trenton cast an assessing eye at the stranger. The Doctor knew he was tempted but not yet ready to commit so he said the one thing necessary to seal the deal.  
“Oh, by the way,” the Doctor drawled, “I do have one condition to the offer of my services. I must insist the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of all this DNA remain known only to you and your colleagues. I have no desire to know nor to be in any way complicit.”

Trenton snapped closed the Doctor’s leather billfold containing the psychic paper and sent it sliding down the conference table where the Doctor smoothly retrieved it, slipping it back into his breast pocket. 

“And how do I know those credentials are worth the paper their written on?” Trenton demanded but the Doctor knew he was sold.

Now the Doctor shifted the balance of power, ever so lightly in his direction. Sardonically, he crooned, “I’m quite certain your creations to date don’t last long. I’m also betting the reason they don’t is your inability to generate stable endoskeletons. Now, get me briefed up and in a lab.”

Trenton knew Dr. John Smith was someone who could help him reach his goals and satisfy his unnerving and impatient benefactors, but he also knew he’d have to keep an eye on him if he was to get the job done and receive his rich reward. 

“Oh by the way Doctor Smith, we have recently acquired what we hope will be interesting DNA from a young female that has unexpectedly come to visit us.”

During their discussion the Doctor had migrated half way down the boardroom table and plopped into a chair. As he stood to leave he knew Trenton’s question was a test and he whirled around and let Trenton see his anger. “I told you! I don’t want to know anything about sources. A deal’s a deal! Another slip and I walk. Are we clear?”

Trenton nodded and smiled delighted with fortune’s blessing in the form of Doctor John Smith. But just to be sure this gifted Doctor didn’t get too high and mighty he signaled the guards. 

“Take him to the main lab.”

As the Doctor turned to follow the guards Trenton flipped a switch illuminating an antechamber the Doctor had not known was there. 

It was a super clean, pristine white room behind glass but it’s antecedents were well known to the Doctor. From Earth’s Spanish Inquisition to the Chambers of Persuasion on Monterax Five, it was a dressed-up torture chamber and no less sinister for it’s pristine condition. Shackles hung from the wall in one section and in another he recognized a dissection table as well as various instruments he was sure were intended to inflict pain.

Knowing the measure of the man the Doctor knew his best course of action was to keep the balance of power between them tilted in his favor.

With his hands casually in his pants pockets, he winked at Trenton. “Oh, by the way, I am also an expert in humanoid pain centres so if you need any advice, just say the word. I didn’t want to mention it on my business card, seemed too much like gilding the lilly. Oh yes indeed, I can incapacitate just about anyone in seconds. Shall I demonstrate with these guards? No? Another time perhaps?”

Whistling happily the Doctor swept out of the room with his escort of guards in tow.

Hunched down in the recording booth Rose heard the exchange between Trenton and the Doctor and grinned. The Doctor could talk his way out of an ion storm. Although the doors to the conference room were open she couldn’t watch the exchange because the angle was wrong but she knew the Doctor and had no doubt he’d presented himself as the one in-charge. 

Relieved she’d made the right decision to come to the booth she knew two important things. First, the Doctor was presenting himself as Doctor John Smith. She reminded herself that if they crossed paths in front of Trenton she should not show any sign of recognition. Second, her best course of action was to go back to her prison room so Evelyn could keep her filled in and so she could warn Evelyn what the Doctor was up to and not to blow his cover. 

She could see when the Doctor and his guards went through the double doors they turned left and would pass by the booth so she quickly dashed off a note, carefully snicked open the door and fanned it back and forth quickly several times so that the Doctor would catch her scent. She then placed the note with just a tiny sliver of one corner visible under the door. Sure enough the Doctor stopped at the door of the booth and informed the guards he had to tie his shoelace. He was telling her ‘message received’. 

The Doctor walked on with the guards who were none the wiser and Rose’s note tucked into his hand until he casually deposited it in his pocket so he could read it safely later. He knew she had heard the conversation so she knew the play, clever girl. He bet her note would tell him where she’d be and her plan so they would be coordinated.

By the time he got to the labs, it was approaching dawn but Trenton had already been in touch with their team leader to instruct that Doctor John Smith be put on the endoskeleton problem. In the changing room he donned a lab coat under supervision of the lead scientist.

Trying to be sociable the Doctor shared his credentials with the lead scientist called Dr Brunt. He was led to his station where a slide had been set up for his analysis.

“Ahhh,” the Doctor concluded after studying the sample, “extracts of endoskeletal genes. But these genes only address bone composition and are incomplete. They must be accompanied with the necessary blueprint genes to be capable of forming skeletal structures. Also required is a complex wash of enzymes, and reagents to tell them what structure to form.”

Doctor Brunt, observed, “You have an unorthodox way of describing methodology Doctor Smith.”

“Oh I can give you the scientific garble but I’m new here and unfamiliar with people’s credentials. Dumbing down explanations was a requirement of my previous job, you see.”

“I see. How long will it take?”

“Hmmm. I’d prefer to answer that after I look at your chemical stores and gene splicing equipment but assuming it’s in good nick I’d estimate three to four weeks.”

“Very well Doctor Smith, proceed as quickly as you can towards that objective.” Doctor Brunt headed over to the com at the far side of the lab. He didn’t know the Doctor could hear him at that distance.

Looking through his microscope the Doctor knew Brunt had called Trenton to report on him. He told Trenton that, to his surprise, Dr. Smith had not only diagnosed the problem, something they’d been unable to do, but he’d laid out the solutions.

Smiling to himself the Doctor already knew what had to happen. A trip to the Shadow Proclamation to report this facility and have it shut down.

What the Doctor couldn’t hear was Trenton’s voice on the other end of the line telling Brunt to keep an eye on the Doctor as he was making calls to verify Dr. Smith’s credentials.

Slowly the Doctor slipped Rose’s note from his pocket as Brunt remained occupied on the com. His hearts skipped a beat as he stared at her scribble, “Dalek DNA in the sample.”


	10. Chapter 10

Rassilon it changed everything. Dalek DNA in the sample was not an accident. He had to get Rose and get out of here. This whole place had to be vaporized. Daleks didn’t trundle along and fall into bogs! A sample of their DNA had been provided and added to the bog and that meant Trenton was working with Daleks....bloody fool!

The Doctor snatched the sonic from his pocket. The scan of the strange metal confirmed his worst fears. It was Dalek in origin. That fool was trying to create Dalek/humanoid hybrids by fusing the best characteristics from the DNA pool with the Dalek DNA, supported by Dalek metal endoskeletons. 

Looking into the microscope he saw nothing because his mind was churning. Dalek hybrids! Then he remembered Satellite Five when he and Rose had visited in the year 200100 during his ninth incarnation. The Dalek fleet had invaded the satellite intending to make Dalek hybrids by harvesting dead humans. But what did that mean? Had the Daleks burned through all the Dalek/humanoid hybrids created here by Trenton’s experiments or were they still looking for a means to do so in 200100. He just didn’t know.

The Doctor knew Trenton’s despicable experiments were not a fixed point in time. He could destroy this facility without changing the future. If he succeeded the Daleks would still be looking for a way to create hybrids in 200100 and Rose would still destroy them. 

Then he remembered Evelyn! Rassilon! She’d said Trenton knew Rose ‘from another place with lots of living things that are mostly dead’. That summed up Daleks who were nothing more than shrivelled pounds of flesh encased in metal shells. Had Trenton seen Rose at Satellite Five, seen the power within her that had destroyed the Dalek fleet? 

His hearts seized as his mind slammed all the disparate pieces of information together into an alarming realization. Not only had Trenton travelled in time which was monumental enough but he had seen Rose destroy the Dalek fleet . That explained his interest in her. He thought she still had that power. But he didn’t know the power was vortex energy nor that it had been removed from her. Trenton knew Rose was a time traveller and was assuming she still had that power within her! He wanted to infuse his Dalek hybrids with that power and was working with Daleks in the here and now. 

Trenton must have been ecstatic when he realized she was here on the planet. They were probably monitoring everyone pulled into the bog and snatching those of particular interest down the chutes to get a blood sample. The rest were left to die and rot. When Trenton saw the results of her blood tests and realized the power he’d seen on Satellite 5 was not evident in her blood he would toss her back into the DNA soup without a second thought! 

He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to get Rose the hell out of here and blow the place to bits!

“Dr. Brunt,” he said, looking up, “would you show me to my quarters? I need to contact my office. You see, I’ve been rather hasty accepting employment here without first resigning from my existing job. It won’t take long and there’ll be no need for me to return there. My affairs were left in order but I’d rather not burn any bridges. I’m sure you would agree. Also I’d like to freshen up with a shower. But I’ll return here and get started. Or, if you’re not ready with accommodations yet, I could briefly return to my ship.”

“Oh no, no, Dr. Smith, no need to do that! We’ll provide accommodations here. This way please.” 

His entire being was itching to get to Rose but he couldn’t, not yet. Dr. Brunt ushered him into his suite and he saw that the computer at his desk was connected to their network and the seeds of an idea occurred to him. 

As soon as Brunt left he was at the keyboard racing to find out if Rose’s blood had been analyzed. Thank Rassilon, it had not, but it was up next in the cue. He had to work quickly! Hacking into the system he programmed it to read several chemical signatures in her sample that weren’t really there. His hack would make it look like a peculiar chemical energy signature was part of her blood’s constituent parts.

If something went wrong and he got separated from Rose he knew Trenton would not discard Rose once he believed she held that power within her. He’d want to keep her alive so he could keep milking her blood. It was a fail safe in the event it took longer than he hoped to collect her and escape. He was just about to leave the keyboard when another thought occurred to him. Taking out his sonic he copied the entire database to it and then programmed the database to permanently delete six hours from now. Satisfied he had sufficient insurance he headed to the cafeteria.

He’d told Brunt he wanted to get a quick bite before returning to the lab but his real purpose was to assess whether the scientists here actually had the ability to pull this off. It was almost early morning and he suspected most of them would be getting breakfast. If any of them were actually capable of producing a hybrid humanoid, he’d gather them up and deliver them to the Shadow Proclamation for prosecution. The database on his sonic would provide the needed proof. They’d all get a warning, one warning, to get out of the facility and then he’d destroy the place. Trenton, however, would be at the top of his prosecution list.

It looked to him like most of the scientists were gathered in the cafeteria. Judging by the nods in his direction they knew he was the new bloke. He made sure to look over the food choices carefully to give himself the time to pick up their conversations with his superior hearing. There was only one scientist who came close to having the knowledge to do it on his own. He had directed the others in the creation of Evelyn. She was the evidence proving he didn’t know everything.

With his tray loaded he walked over to their table, “Good morning Gentlemen. I’m Doctor John Smith. Don’t mean to be standoffish but I just started today and still have some details to sort out. I’m looking forward to meeting each of you as soon as possible.” With a wide smile and nod to each of them he turned and left. 

He left his tray in his assigned quarters and quickly left again. Entering Rose’s room he was met with her cry of recognition and a bundle of blonde launched into his arms. 

Clutching her to him he thought how brilliant it was to feel so cherished. Breathing her in he savoured the feeling of relief and then set her down.

“Doctor,” she asked, “you okay? What happened to you? Did they hurt you?”

“Nah, had to pass a test to prove I knew what I was doing, jimmied their computer system to make your blood look so special they wouldn’t dare kill you, arranged for their entire data base to melt down in six hours and now I’m here,” he smiled grandly.

“Thank gawd Doctor,” she declared, hugging him tightly again. “Listen Doctor, before we can get Evelyn and get outta here what if I get taken to Trenton’s office? Sooner to later he’s gonna ask how I got here or why? What’s my cover story?” 

“Tourist is good, lovely planet, good food, shame about the bog and you arrived by shuttle from Manumel, comes twice a week,” the Doctor prattled at breakneck speed, then blinking he turned serious. “But never mind that Rose because we don’t have to wait any longer. We’re leaving! NOW! Come on!” 

“What about Evelyn?” Rose asked but then they heard a key in the door. They were trapped!

It was Evelyn. She motioned the Doctor to put his fingers on her temples. “Doctor, I heard Trenton is looking for you!”

“Evelyn, thank Rassilon you’re here. We’re leaving. Come with us!”

With Evelyn and Rose behind him he opened the door and came to a sudden stop as he faced two armed guards looking for him. Recognizing the same guards from before he immediately flashed them a warm smile.

“Oh hello fellas! Looking for me?”

They motioned him to follow which he did immediately closing the door behind him. Fortunately, the guards were only interested in him. As far as they were concerned he was an employee so they had no reason to believe he shouldn’t be where they found him. If he was wrong he’d have to have a story ready to explain why he was found with Rose. 

Rose knew Trenton could well have a work related reason for wanting to see the Doctor but it was also possible he was in danger. 

“Evelyn,” she said, “I have to get to that room where I can hear what’s going on in there. The Doctor might be in trouble!”

Evelyn stepped forward and put her fingers on Rose’s temple. “Now not good. Many people move to their places. I go now to bring Trenton the first food. Wait, then I return to tell what I see and hear.”

Reluctantly Rose nodded her agreement. Even though she wanted to race down the hall after him she knew she couldn’t blow their cover. While the Doctor was brilliant and clever, easily able to out think his enemies, there were times she’d had to talk him out of racing into the fray in favor of a more considered approach. On those occasions he was often frenetic, desperate to burn off the energy raging through him, urging him to action. He would fiddle and pace, slam controls on the console and respond to questions with curt and dismissive responses.

Now she understood completely as she watched Evelyn slip out the door and found herself pacing around the room. The urge to do something, anything, was overwhelming. To make matters worse she had a bad feeling about this turn of events.

The Doctor smiled as he walked along, his hands casually in his suit pockets. This time he was following the guards rather than being directed at gunpoint. He’d been tempted to make a run for it when the guards first arrived but they were armed making a break for it out of the question. He couldn’t risk Rose or Evelyn. 

As he followed the guards he brainstormed reasons Trenton might want to see him. It boiled down to three. He could be wrong about the guards and they might have reported where they found him. Or, maybe Trenton had checked his credentials and discovered his ruse. Finally, Trenton might want to implicate him to ensure his loyalty.

Face to face with Trenton the Doctor could see he was tightly controlling his fury so he remained casual but attentive.

“We have a problem Doctor Smith.”

“So far, after three hours, I’ve diagnosed the problem and the path to solving it. Can you elaborate?”

Trenton was gritting his teeth when he hissed out, “You don’t even exist, nor does the organization you claimed to manage and now I’m going to have to take action.”

“Just a tic, just a wee tic!” the Doctor urged, holding up his index finger, “First of all, of course I exist. I’m standing right in front of you!....”

Trenton flew to his feet in a fury but before he could say anything the Doctor interrupted, this time much more deliberate. 

“Alright, alright I owe you an explanation. First, I commend you for checking, most don’t. Second, my credentials are very real but my ‘interests and how I chose to apply them, were never appreciated. When it was discovered that I had diverted Institute funds to my clandestine experiments, not only was I dismissed but the organization was disbanded, such was their abhorrence for my work. So now you have something to hold over me.”

Studying Trenton the Doctor knew he needed a bigger lure. “I’d like the opportunity to work on this project and frankly with your current stable of scientists this project will never be completed. I think you know that, so here’s my proposal. I will record the steps that must be completed to achieve your goal. I will itemize the materials and equipment required to complete each step successfully. In the interests of self preservation I’ll omit the specifics of two steps. You can have your scientists look it over. They will know I can pull this off. Do we have a deal?”

Trenton was still standing, studying the Doctor. Finally he called for the guards. The Doctor was feeling he’d eked out another save until the guards grabbed him and Trenton switched on the lights to the blinding white torture chamber.

“Let’s make sure you give us all the steps shall we?” Trenton sneered.

Evelyn entered the boardroom carrying Trenton’s breakfast on her tray. She kept her head down but she knew the Doctor would never leave this place.


	11. Chapter 11

Several hours later Trenton stood panting and perspiring. He’d taken his shirt off as he worked up a lather from striking the whip with bodily force against the Doctor’s back. It wasn’t an ordinary whip either. Barbed and electrified, he couldn’t understand his victim’s resilience.

The man was shackled up, his tip toes providing his only support, yet he’d barely flinched, or cried out, not even whimpered let alone begged for mercy. Nor had he offered to provide complete instructions for the creation of a new hybrid! He, on the other hand, was winded and needed water and a physical break. He would try something more convincing in the next round.

The Doctor had endured torture before but he didn’t know what might come next. But he knew Trenton would step it up. For now he was resting so the Doctor retreated within and closed his eyes. 

He needed to last another two hours, forty-two minutes and thirty-eight seconds. He had to remain functional and aware until then. That was when the computer data core would be wiped clean and everyone would be scrambling. Trenton would leave to take charge. Then, if he was lucky, Evelyn would come and remove his shackles. He had to be able to walk.

His back was lashed to ribbons, open and bleeding. The electrified whip had forced him to regularly reset his hearts rhythms. He was preventing himself from healing too fast for fear it would be noticed and Trenton would suddenly be interested in his blood. He could feel the cool wet rolling down his back and soaking his trousers. For now, he was enduring the pain because he had the ability to regulate pain receptors and to mentally hide in ancient Time Lord meditations. 

But there were limits to his endurance. He hoped to avoid the hallucinations that sometimes assaulted the tortured when they lost too much blood. Masquerading as relief they crept in slowly eventually manifesting as disgusting shivers of trauma ripping down your spine making you lose control of the bladder and worse. When the hallucinations came a Time Lord’s ability to control the pain ended and the agony rampaged full force.

At least Rose was safe, probably safe, in the TARDIS by now. Rassilon he hoped so. If all was lost he’d regenerate, free himself and run to join her, then destroy this place. 

Catching his breath for a moment, Trenton was furious. He’d laid a proper beating on this Doctor Smith yet there was no sign he was even considering cooperation. Then to Trenton’s surprise his victim spoke in a fairly even voice, revealing limited stress, considering the damage inflicted. 

“I must say, Trenton, I don’t understand your reasoning nor what you hope to gain. If I write down the blueprint for building a hybrid humanoid, minus a few steps, it is only to ensure my continued employment. If I write down all the steps, you’ll just kill me. If you do that, how will you know I haven’t sabotaged the instructions or that your scientists won’t still have difficulties understanding?”

The only answer he got were two vicious slashes to his back but then there was an interruption. The Doctor craned his head to the side and saw a guard hand a piece of paper to Trenton. Bloody hell, he thought, probably Rose’s blood analysis!

His worse fears were realized when Trenton barked out, “Bring her here!”

Rose had given up on Evelyn returning. Hours had passed but just as she made up her mind to leave, Evelyn came in. Rose took one look at her and felt her stomach drop. Evelyn put the words in her mind about the Doctor’s situation.   
The Doctor was in a torture room in Trenton’s boardroom. She had to keep her wits about her. She grabbed Evelyn by the hand, slipped out of her prison and raced down the corridor towards the TARDIS. Once inside, she led Evelyn up the ramp to the jump seat. At the console she typed her plea to the sentient ship.

“Please, please help me! Your pilot is in trouble. Please make me a sonic, just simple, one that will open things.”

Suddenly an image of the Doctor, bloodied and brutalized, appeared on the monitor and Rose gasped in horror. The ship must have tapped into the video system in the boardroom’s adjacent white room and was telling her to get a move on. She had to do something now! 

She heard a whirring sound and a miniature sonic emerged from a tube. It was gold and pink. Snatching it up she slipped it in her bra. 

Kneeling in front of Evelyn she explained, “Evelyn, stay here okay? If I’m successful I’ll be back soon with the Doctor and we’re leaving. The Doctor understood your telepathy so the ship will too. If you need anything just ask and the ship will materialize it for you. No one here can get through the doors. I mean it, no power anywhere can get through those doors. You’ll be safe.” 

Evelyn nodded and Rose moved down the ramp and through the doors. She crept from the alcove where the ship was hidden and peeked cautiously around the corner, immediately drawing back. In the distance down the corridor she saw the guards who’d taken the Doctor and now they’d come for her.

Her every instinct was to run to him. He was in pain but she couldn’t. She had to wait til the guards left her door, then she had to follow and stay hidden. If she failed he might be forced into a regeneration and then they’d know he was something different and take his blood! He couldn’t regenerate with no blood. She could lose him! 

Get a grip she berated herself! Good, the guards were leaving her prison door. Silently she whispered down the corridor slipping out of sight at her door which they’d left open. From her vantage point she watched the guards continue down the corridor. Yes, they were going to Trenton’s quarters to report her missing. Her stomach flip flopped as she waited. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, her anxiousness made her hands tremble.

It had probably been minutes but it felt like hours to Rose before a very angry Trenton and the two guards left and, in such a hurry, they left the door open. Listening carefully, she tiptoed as quickly as she could down the corridor slipping through the double doors. Once inside she raced toward the boardroom on the upper level. 

Inside at last she saw Trenton had left the lights on in the ghastly white room and she whimpered when she saw him hanging there. Sonicing the chamber door open, she hurried inside terrified to see blood spattered everywhere around him. In a frenzy to see his face she moved around in front of him. His handsome face was ashen and beaten. As she looked him over she cried out realizing two of his fingers had been cut off! His head hung down and his eyes were closed.

She reached up and cupped his cheek whispering his name.

The Doctor was far away, hiding in his mental safe room only dimly aware he had been touched. He’d intended to stay here, safe, and hope he didn’t die before his internal time sense told him the computer core destruction had begun.

But there was something about that soft and gentle touch and he struggled to understand. His thoughts were slow and didn’t connect well with others. He groaned realizing his mind was playing tricks with him. Could be Trenton he supposed. Torturers sometimes interspersed kindness between bouts of agony to subliminally convey the message; I want to be kind to you but you won’t let me. I don’t want to hurt you. It’s your fault I have to hurt you.

“Doctor,” Rose whispered, touching her lips to his ear, “I’ve come to get you out of here! It’s me Rose!”

Rassilon, don’t use Rose to torture me he thought. Dimly his mind struggled until his next thought swam into consciousness. Would Trenton hurt Rose if he wasn’t there? Would he take her to be experimented on with no one to save her? 

He struggled to rip himself from his safe place For some reason he thought of the mountains of Solace and Solitude on the continent of Wild Endeavour where stood the Citadel of the Time Lords. Why? Why was he thinking of that? Oh yes, he’d climbed Solace once, one painful step after another. Interesting but why was that important? Yes, yes, climb out of the safe place just like climbing Solace, one step at a time. 

Groaning, pain flooding in and assaulting him, he struggled to raise his head.

Rose cupped his cheek and gently brushed his lips with hers knowing he needed an anchor in his struggle for consciousness. 

Finally she heard him whisper her name as his eyelids fluttered open, “Rose,” he croaked, “is it really you?”

“It’s me Doctor. Can you walk?”

“Maybe, walk, not run...”

Rose was skeptical just based on his blood loss but she explained, “Doctor, I’m gonna sonic each of your shackles,” she explained as she did one then the other, “so if you need to lean on me just do it okay. I can help ya walk.”

“Don’t forget my jacket...stuff in pockets,” he groaned. 

Before she could answer she was startled by an alarm ringing. The Doctor’s head shot up as though hearing something she couldn’t hear. 

“Rose, go go he’s coming! Please get out of here!”

“I’ll be back, she whispered. “Hold on Doctor and remember, your shackles are unlocked.”

Quickly Rose moved from the room switching off the light, snicking the door closed but she didn’t lock it to make it easier for him. She’d have to leave his jacket because she knew it was too late to get out of the conference room in time. She could hear Trenton outside the double doors talking to guards and if she had the Doctor’s jacket Trenton would know she’d been in the torture room. Bloody bastard! 

She couldn’t get out now so she needed to outsmart him. She arranged herself casually in a boardroom chair with her feet on another chair as she nonchalantly studied her nails.

Trenton swept in and, seeing her, his eyes flitted guiltily towards the special room thinking he’d left the lights on. Breathing a sigh of relief he hadn’t, he saw by her relaxed posture she hadn’t been in the white room.

He turned towards Rose demanding, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, why else would I be here? What’s that bloody racket? Can’t hear myself think!”


	12. Chapter 12

Rose knew the shrill alarm was for her. Of course she wanted to escape but she grinned to herself knowing she’d thrown Trenton off course. Quickly he moved to a control panel at the back of the room to kill the piercing blare blasting through the corridors. 

“You’re not allowed to be in here,” Trenton said in a frosty tone wondering what the hell she was up to.

“Yeah?” Rose drawled, casually twirling a lock of her hair in her fingers. “Coulda fooled me. Door was wide open as were these.” She pointed to the conference room doors. “So what’s all the commotion about? Fire drill perhaps?”

Trenton was frustrated but relieved she hadn’t escaped and hadn’t seen what was on display in the hidden room. Luckily that room was sound proof but still it unnerved him.

“Something like that,” he responded. “Now, what are you doing here?”

With all the open doors I thought I’d find you here so here I am and I need to talk to you!”

“You have my attention so what is it?” His tone of voice betrayed his impatience.

“First off,” Rose said, making it clear she was not a happy camper, “I want to know why you’re locking me in my room. I volunteered to help ya only to find out I’m bein’ treated like a prisoner! That alarm is about me isn’t it cuz I wasn’t in my room? If I have to stay here until you get eight pints of blood outta me I have to get some exercise, go to the cafeteria, see the sun. For cryin’ out loud, I volunteered to stay here to help your people. Why are you treating me this way? Have you got my results cuz if my blood won’t help your people then I wanna go home? If it will help your people, then I want some changes or I’m outta here.” 

Trenton knew it was in his best interests to keep her cooperation in the short term. Like it or not she was staying for the long term but she didn’t need to know that now.

“You’ve been most patient, and we have been over zealous only because of what’s at stake. But I have been remiss in not considering your comfort. Afraid I get too busy sometimes. As it happens I have just received your results. Turns out your blood will be hugely helpful to our efforts. I will most definitely make every effort to make your stay with us more enjoyable. By the way, how did you get out of your suite?”

Rose wasn’t fooled by his ‘so sorry, I’ll do better’ routine. She knew she was in danger and that Trenton was a monster. Every fibre of her being was vibrating to help the Doctor get out of here.

“I jimmied the lock and here I am. I didn’t take a runner now did I? I came to find you. It’s like I told ya, I’m willin’ to help ya but you got a funny way of showin’ appreciation.” 

Rose turned to picking at her nail polish leaving a little pile of pink chips on Trenton’s boardroom table.

Studying her, Trenton decided she was telling the truth. She didn’t even perceive the danger she was in. She could be exasperating but she was beautiful and since she was going nowhere soon he didn’t see any reason not to use her for his pleasure during the long nights here. But in the meantime maybe he could settle a question he had, one that might determine her fate.

“Are you a time traveller?” he asked out of the blue.

Continuing to chip at her nail polish Rose took a minute to think. The perception filter was protecting the TARDIS so she wasn’t worried he’d put two and two together. He’d seen her somewhere in the future so she decided to tell the truth. Chipping away, her pile of pink chips growing, she looked up at him.

“Nope,” she replied casually, “but I knew a time traveller once. He had the bluest eyes. Took me to the future. After he took me home I never saw him again which was too bad because I liked him.”

Again Trenton was sure she was telling the truth and it explained a lot to him. He saw the crown, attached to her belt resting beside her on the chair. He suspected it was faulty because it had been on her head briefly but hadn’t had the effect he expected. She’d gone blank briefly but when it fell off she should have wanted to put it back on her head but she didn’t. It must have been damaged when it fell off. No matter, he had another one. 

Rose had freed him! His shackles were open. After hours standing on tip toe, it was agony when the slack from the now open shackles allowed him to stand fully on his feet. Pain shot through his calves and he swayed on his feet forcing him to clutch onto the now open shackles until he was steady enough to remain standing. His thinking was foggy and muddled. He’d lost too much blood! He forced his body to stop bleeding. Before he lowered his arms he had to order his thoughts so he could judiciously apply a tiny thread of his regeneration energy to regrow his fingers. When he did lower his arms they too would be useless for awhile.

He would be in no condition to escape until his system could produce enough blood to replace what was lost. He should have slowed his blood loss earlier. When Trenton returned he would be too weak to overpower him let alone out run him! 

Suddenly his time sense niggled it’s way into his thoughts telling him the countdown to the data base wipe would soon be triggered. Within eight minutes, twenty-five seconds the wipe would begin. Then a few minutes of people scrambling about trying to figure out what was going on before someone told Trenton who would know what he had done. He had to leave before then but he didn’t know if he would be able enough. He needed healing sleep badly. He’d not judged things properly. Now everything was at risk.

“Well?” Rose asked, drawing Trenton’s attention, “you gonna show me to the cafeteria or the gym? Surely you have a gym here?”

“Very, well,” Trenton replied, “wait for me at the double doors. One quick call to the lab and I’ll be right with you!” 

Rose left hoping this was her chance to draw Trenton away from the Doctor so he could escape. He was so hurt she was desperate to buy him time to regain enough strength to make it to the TARDIS where he could safely heal. Not knowing how long she could keep her ruse up she took comfort in knowing the Doctor’s clever manipulation of her blood sample would protect her.

Trenton went to the bureau at the other end of the conference room, bent down and unlocked the bottom drawer. Removing another crown, he relocked the drawer and hurried out of the room ensuring he held the crown behind his back. 

Collecting Rose at the door and directing her to the left with his free hand he reassured her saying, “Let’s make the first stop the gym shall we? I must say I admire your pluck. Not much call for that sort of thing from the scientists I’m afraid.”

“Well that’s daft! You’d think scientists would know the importance of exercise to the brain. Ya know, keepin’ the juices flowing and the mind active.”

“You’re remarkably well informed,” Trenton responded as he lowered the Crown on her head.

Grinning, Trenton watched her halt and stop talking almost mid sentence. Stepping around her he studied her face. She looked like a mannequin, lifeless eyes and most importantly no resistance whatsoever.

“Now, get back in the boardroom.” 

Rose turned heading back to the boardroom resembling an emotionless automaton.

“Sit,” he ordered, “where you were sitting before.”

Rose complied, sitting back in the same chair, beside her pile of pink nail chips. Feeling frightened at her inability to fight the power of his suggestion she did not look at him, just stared straight ahead. He gave her the chills with his face as pale as the skin on a glass of milk. His eyes were dark and sunken with black shadows under those sunken eyes. His features were hard, almost gaunt with slicked back hair. He was like a hungry wolf with a half smile and it was just wrong. 

There was something about the way he looked at her like he was doing so much more than taking in her form. It was creepy and she knew she was in real trouble. Then he spoke again.

“I do not want to hear your prattle again. You will not speak unless asked to by me. You will do what I tell you. Now, I want you to swallow those pink flakes you littered on my boardroom table. Do it!”

Inside Rose was screaming at herself to disobey but her body wouldn’t obey her mind. She was terrified and even worse she thought the Doctor might not be able to fix her. This crown was painful because it seemed to be attached with sharp talons to her head. Maybe they were like electrodes interacting directly with her brain. She felt perspiration running between her breasts as she struggled with herself. 

Defiance, if she could just show some small sign of defiance, just to piss Trenton off. With her tormentor’s instructions hanging in the air, she turned to the pile of nail polish chips, opened her mouth and proceeded to lick the chips off the boardroom’s glass top, leaving a wet smudged mess on the table as big as a dinner plate. Then she spit them out littering the front of her dress. She’d disobeyed him! She was supposed to swallow the chips but she didn’t! It was a very small victory but Rose felt her resistance was a hard won victory.  
Trenton frowned, staring at the disgusting mess she’d left on the boardroom table. Furious, he stepped up to her, pulled her from the chair and slugged her. Rose crumpled to the floor, landing partially sprawled under the table. The crown did not fall off her head.

Raging inside, Trenton knew he couldn’t teach her a proper lesson until she came to but she could stay on the floor as far as he was concerned. Oh he was going to enjoy making her an obedient supplicant. He smiled because he was now in the mood to return to coercing Smith into cooperating. The trick was going to be not accidentally killing him or maiming him to the point he couldn’t get what he needed from him. His intention was to keep him alive until he knew his scientists could understand and follow Smith’s instructions.

Suddenly another alarm peeled through the complex startling Trenton from his planning. He exited the boardroom heading to the labs with urgency.

Now! Now! The Doctor knew he had to move now and with an enormous effort of will he forced himself to move. Staggering to the door he lifted his suit jacket and cursed trying to fish out his sonic. He had to lean against the door to the white room while he used the sonic to vaporize his blood from the floor and walls. That simple activity had him panting in exhaustion but he made it through the door. He didn’t see Rose under the table. 

Staggering to the double doors he lurched down the corridor, stopping to lean against the walls every now and then as weakness and trembling legs threatened to topple him over. Inching ever forward, he saw Rose’s prison door was open so she had to be in the TARDIS. 

Hurry, hurry he told himself as he heard sounds of distantly approaching people. Then he heard an announcement broadcast from the translation booth he’d been in. He kept staggering slowly but surely to the safety of his ship. He was at the blessed blue doors by the time he heard the panicked, institute-wide order to shut down all system computers!


	13. Chapter 13

With his last strength the Doctor managed to get his newly regenerated fingers around his key and with his hand trembling he tried to get the key into the slot but he kept missing. 

“Help me old friend,” he groaned. 

The TARDIS took pity and opened the door for her pilot. Staggering inside, his key clutched in his hand he saw Evelyn.

“Oh, hello Evelyn!” he croaked. “Tea?”

Then his eyes rolled back and he fell slowly forward as the door slammed shut behind him. The TARDIS took pity on her pilot and materialized a soft, thick, dense foam for him to land safely. The great ship sang to him, a song that nudged his mind from unconsciousness to sleep, the healing sleep of Time Lords so he would be well again. There was time. A cup of tea appeared beside Evelyn and she heard the ship tell her to leave him be and he would heal.

Evelyn felt relieved the Doctor would get better. It was a feeling she rarely experienced except when everyone’s orders for the day ended and she was left alone in her small room. Even she knew it wasn’t much of an existence but she was jealous of those few hours that were hers alone. 

Because she could read the minds of the scientists, she was learning about life. Some pined for their families, some held images of beauty and wonder in their minds but some favoured images that were much darker, difficult for her to understand. They frightened her and she had come to understand those images were like sickness and malfunction. She preferred the emotions and images of mountains, carnivals, children laughing, sunsets with so much colour and those were the images she studied in her quiet hours wondering if she would ever see such things herself.

As she sipped her tea, which she found strangely calming, she realized she had been served for the first time in her life. She stayed quiet, studying the Doctor sleeping on the ramp. He was different than anyone here. He was so big inside, had seen things no one here could even imagine. He knew they made her wrong but he saw her. No one else here saw her. She was invisible and of no consequence because they saw her as a flawed experiment. But not the Doctor who saw her as life, something new and someone important. He wanted her to see amazing things. The Doctor even named her Evelyn. The others saw her as experiment 227. 

She did feel safe here in this strange place, especially because she had the time to think, but she wished Rose would come back. Like the Doctor, Rose looked out for her. Whenever the Doctor thought of Rose his hearts seemed to swell up. If Trenton hurt Rose the Doctor might not get better. 

Evelyn knew her time was short. Her body didn’t work right and it was getting worse. She had decided she would go with them. Maybe she could see the things the Doctor saw. Maybe she could see a sunset. She would like to see flowers too, close up and not at a distance. Finishing her tea she went to where he slept and asked the ship for a blanket which appeared beside her. Then Evelyn placed it over the Doctor as best she could. It was difficult for her to bend but she did anyway so she could sit beside him in case he woke and needed something.

Three hours later the Doctor started to dream of Rose and how much better his life was with her. It was his hearts’ desire she would stay with him. She said she loved him. Oh, the pleasure they’d shared! It had woke desire in him that had been long subdued and now he couldn’t ignore it or push it back under his control. He had to keep her safe. There was nothing more important.

But she was safe. She was in the TARDIS. He frowned in his sleep as he struggled to remember his painful return to his ship. He remembered seeing Evelyn on the jump seat but he didn’t remember seeing Rose! 

His mind struggled to reconstruct events. She’d found him, released his shackles but then he’d warned her to go because Trenton was coming. Shouldn’t he have been occupied with the computer meltdown but Trenton was coming. No, no that wasn’t right. He was coming because of the alarm that Rose had escaped. Was it?

The Doctor thrashed in his sleep sensing she was in danger. His disquiet increased as he replayed events realizing she could not have had time to leave the boardroom. Trenton had been too close for Rose to get out. But she wasn’t in the boardroom when he’d left. Rassilon, had Rose been taken by Trenton? Suddenly he struggled to wake but the great ship embraced his mind and calmed his dreams. He needed more healing sleep.

With sirens screaming and the data base approaching 20 percent deleted, Trenton ordered the power to the system shut off. He was furious at the incalculable loss but, for now, his only option was to stop the wipe first. In the short term they could all work off-line until he could find a larger solution to his problem. 

Who had done this? After hours of work the only thing they could confirm was that the data wipe was not an accident! Who was the traitor in their midst? They couldn’t even identify where the wipe had begun let alone who was responsible. His immediate thought was Dr. John Smith! Everything had gone off the rails with his arrival. 

Trenton seethed at the object of his suspicion admitting to himself that during his short stay Smith had proven his superior knowledge and ability. His business card hadn’t identified degrees in computer science but Trenton suspected him nonetheless. He was too clever for his own good and Trenton could see him using a computer wipe as insurance, which meant he probably had a copy. In the short term that meant Smith had the advantage, the bargaining chip.

To make matters worse he suspected Smith had the ability to be three steps ahead of them all at every turn. Luckily the smart ass was currently under his control but he had to be very careful not to go too far and accidentally kill him. He had to find out how to get that data back and keep himself in charge.

For now, the computer system was shut off and they had some breathing room. His scientists would brainstorm solutions to their problem. It was time to get a shower and collect the sharp tongued Rose for some further training. He smiled heading back to his quarters. After that he’d check in on Dr. John Smith.

Lying on the floor under the boardroom table Rose wanted to test the constraints the crown of silver leaves placed on her freedom of movement when Trenton wasn’t defining it. He’d slugged her leaving her unconscious but he hadn’t ordered her to stay here. Was the crown programmed to his voice or his brain waves? She hoped it wasn’t the latter. But the bloody crown hurt. It felt like it was permanently attached to her head.

Massaging her sore, swollen jaw, she was determined to see if the Doctor had left. He was so hurt when last she saw him. She squeezed her eyes shut remembering his bleeding wounds and shakily lurched herself to her feet. Cautiously moving towards the hidden room she was relieved there was no resistance from the crown so she quietly opened the door. Oh thank the stars he’d made it out. 

Closing the door she leaned against it, letting her relief comfort her. Trenton had left to deal with an alarm she’d heard ringing just before he’d jaw punched her. It was worth it! The Doctor was free! He’d have to sleep to recover but he’d come for her. 

She gave her head a shake wondering why she thought it best to just wait for him? That wasn’t what she’d normally do. She would try to leave. Was the crown influencing her? Probably. She had to resist or this damn thing would be controlling her soon! Already it was sapping her will. She reached up and tried to remove it. A flare of burning pain assaulted her. Soon there’d be nothing left of her if she didn’t get going while she could.

Determined, she stepped out of the boardroom heading to the double doors, so far so good. Then she heard footsteps approaching so she hurried quickly back to the boardroom table and arranged herself back into the position she’d been in under the boardroom table. Hoping she’d have another chance to escape if she pretended to be passed out she reasoned Trenton would leave her be and wouldn’t order her to stay in the boardroom. 

Her heart was thundering in her chest as she heard him close the double doors and lock them. She ordered herself to release her muscles to relaxed softness and ordered her breathing to slow into soft drawn out and regular breaths. She heard him come into the boardroom. He’s coming, he’s coming!  
She remembered the Doctor’s lessons on fighting fear and applied them ruthlessly. Count, count the beats between breaths. Make the breaths slow and deep with the same count between each. She steeled herself for his touch as he might drag her from under the table.

Sure enough he grappled one foot and yanked her from under the table. What she didn’t account for was the crown dragging along the carpet creating a pull on her head. The best she could do was stifle the whimper that escaped her lips before she forced herself to collapse back into limp passed out mode.

What the hell was he doing now she wondered? Why wasn’t he leaving? Then a horrible thought occurred to her. What if he touched her, rolled her over and touched her. No matter what he did Rose told herself not to shiver if he touched her skin. All would be lost. He’d know she was awake and give her orders she could not overcome.

She was on her stomach when she felt his hand under her dress running up her calf to the top of her thigh then around her hip, up her side and around her front where it cupped her breast. Breathe, breathe slow but sure. Stay limp! She felt blood trickle down from where the crown had torn her head. It tickled her temple creating an unbearable itch. She ignored it because another fear replaced it. He was feeling her up but the sonic was in her bra. What if he felt it?

Breathe, count, breathe count as he squeezed her breast. She felt the sonic slip out under her bra at the same instant he stopped kneading her. The bloody wanker finally stopped groping her and got up at last! Don’t blow it, breathe, count, breathe count, then he left.

No matter how much she wanted to run out the door she knew she had to stop and think. She grabbed the sonic and returned it to it’s hiding place.

Her first wish was that the Doctor would get better quick! She didn’t know how long she had before the silver leafed crown destroyed her brain.


	14. Chapter 14

Rose sat under the boardroom table wondering if her hesitance to leave stemmed from the crown’s influence. She had a chance to leave. She had the baby sonic to open the double doors and if anyone had the knowledge to free her from this cursed crown it was the Doctor.

Scooping her sonic from her bra she clutched it tightly in her hand. Ordering herself to get up she staggered slowly but surely out of the boardroom, every step requiring concentration and effort. At last she swayed in front of the double doors struggling to remember what to do with the sonic.

But she remembered the Doctor and how much she counted on him and knew he would come for her. Her hand shook as she remembered the sonic. The Doctor loved his sonic and could do all kinds of things with it. Yes, yes, he could open doors with it. She pointed the object in her hand at the double doors and pressed the button. She heard the door click open.

“Where do you think you’re going? Stop right there!” Trenton ordered. 

Rose stopped dead unable to move except to return her sonic to her bra. She began an internal chant. It would be her mantra to keep her mind from forgetting her last best hope. ‘The Doctor is coming, the Doctor is coming, the Doctor is coming’.

“You’re staying put Rose,” Trenton hissed behind her. “In fact you’re never leaving this place. I’m going to milk your blood for ages and use your body as I please. Now get in the boardroom!”

The Doctor is coming, Rose promised herself and he’s gonna save me. 

Then she turned and headed to the boardroom. She fought to disobey every step of the way.

Evelyn sat beside the Doctor dutifully watching over him. She’d never understood how she knew things others did not know but she was sure it was best that the scientists here remained unaware. Even now, with no sign from the Doctor at all, she understood he was slowly waking. Pulling herself up she stood and asked the TARDIS for more tea so it would be ready for him. 

Suddenly she froze mid-step looking off in the distance. Then she shuffled back to the Doctor and struggled back down beside him. Pushing and shoving his shoulder, she called to his mind.

“Doctor! This is Evelyn. You must wake now! Now! Rose is in danger. Hurry Doctor!”

Instantly the Time Lord sat up, turned to her and calmly said, “Where is she Evelyn?”

“Trenton has her in his quarters.”

The Doctor sprang to his feet. “Stay here Evelyn. I’m coming back here with her and we’re leaving!” Knowing she was in pain when bent into a sitting position, he reached down and lifted her up under the arms and smiled warmly. Setting her down on her feet he smiled. “Thank you Evelyn for all your help.”

He turned back around and grabbed his coat. Whirling it on, he swept out the blue door. 

Adventures with the Doctor usually excited her even when they were facing danger in the face. Rose couldn’t remember ever feeling the dread she felt in this moment. She tried to slow her steps but Trenton was right behind her and she dreaded his plans for her. In all her travels with the Doctor she’d never been raped, mostly because the Doctor never let it happen. He didn’t even tolerate others leering or touching her. One look from him and other males backed off. Whatever they saw in the Doctor’s eyes, they didn’t want to tangle with him. The Doctor knew death and when they looked at his eyes they saw death aimed at them.

Thinking she was walking the plank on a pirate ship she repeated her mantra. The Doctor is coming. The Doctor is coming. As soon as she was inside the boardroom she moved towards the torture room. Trenton didn’t know the Doctor had escaped, nor that the door was unlocked. Could she scoot inside and lock him out. If nothing else it would buy time for the Doctor to get here.

She shuddered when Trenton barked, “Get over here!” He grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the head of the table. Moving chairs out of the way he positioned her facing it. “Now, you stand here and don’t move!”

Then he went first to one side of the table, reached under and retrieved a strap that was obviously attached to some connection under the table. It looked depressingly strong to Rose when Trenton tightened it around her wrist and cinched it so tightly she was forced to bend over the table. He did the same on the other side and when he cinched the other arm her torso was forced flat on the table and she knew what was in store for her. He lifted her gown up and over her bum adding humiliation to her terror. He was gonna rape her and destroy her mind. She crushed her eyes closed knowing she had to endure it. There was no way out!   
Clothes rustled behind her and she heard a click and a pull on her knickers then they were gone. He must have cut them off with a knife. Bloody hell, he had a knife....what else was he gonna do with it? Now, she was really scared. Doctor please hurry!

“Now, Rose, I want you to listen. You belong to me and you will obey me. You’re going to stay here and do what I say.”

Trenton ran the knife over one of the cheeks of her ass, hissing as her red blood beaded up in a red line. The ones like her that talked back were always the best once they were tamed. They’d do all the special things he required. He was careful not to cut too deep because he needed her blood.

“Now, young lady I want you to repeat after me, ‘I am the willing sacrifice’. Say it!”

Rose really didn’t want to say it but some force stronger than her compelled her and she knew the phrase would plunge her into a deeper surrender of her will.

“I am the willing sacrifice,” she whimpered.

She felt him dip a finger in her blood, lean forward and smear it on her face. Then she heard him lower his zipper.

Again the Doctor moved as quietly as he could taking the turn into the corridor cautiously and silently. Except for his tuxedo of doom he laughed in the face of superstition. But he couldn’t shake the feeling Rose was in trouble. With each step he felt her entire being was calling him.

Sod it he thought and soon he was racing down the corridor skidding to a stop at the double doors. They were unlocked and he stepped inside. The boardroom doors were closed. Then he heard Rose whimper. In that one whimper he heard her pain and fear. His foot came up and with one mighty strike his powerful thigh drove his foot against the door shattering the lock and slamming the door against the wall leaving it hanging on it’s hinge.

With one look he took in the scene. Trenton, with his trousers around his ankles, was poised to violate Rose. Then he saw the blood on her. He became fury, blind rage, and Trenton was terrified for the first time in his life. Trenton struggled to raise his trousers but the Doctor was a blur until Trenton found himself struggling for breathe as the Doctor grabbed him by the neck and sling shot him down the boardroom table where he crashed into the chairs at the other end sending them scattering willy nilly as he crashed into the wall and fell silent with his trousers around his ankles. 

He’d probably broken Trenton’s neck if he was lucky maybe his back too. With his hands fisted in rage the Doctor studied Rose, and struggled to regain his control and dampen his rage. 

“Rose, Rose!” he called but she didn’t answer. That propelled him into action.

He grabbed a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from her bum. Good, it was a superficial cut so he drew her sparkly dress back down over her bottom. Then he picked up Trenton’s knife from the floor and sliced first one then the other binding holding her. Gently he pulled her up and turned her around. It was then he saw the blood that had dripped down around the edge of the Crown. As he looked closer his hearts lurched as he realized it was biting into her skull.

“Rose, Rose, are you okay?” It wasn’t a question so much as a prayer.

His hearts skipped a beat when he heard her murmur, “Doctor? Is it you?”

He didn’t like the way her head was listing. “I’ve got you Rose. I’ve come for you. You’re going to be fine. I’m going to take you to the TARDIS and fix you up. Come Luv, I’ll carry you.”

She opened her eyes slowly and for a brief moment she was his Rose looking at him like there was nothing more important to her than him. Then her eyes closed and she said, “Are you okay Doctor? I was so worried about you.”

“I’m fine Rose, thanks to you. I’ll tell you all about it over tea. Let’s go home.”

“I knew you’d come for me Doctor but now I can’t go with you.”

“Why Rose?” he asked his alarm bells ringing.

“I am the willing sacrifice. I can’t leave now.” Tears welled and slid down her cheeks.

His hands held her shoulders, keeping her upright, for fear she would just fold into a huddle waiting for Trenton to tell her what to do.

“Rose Luv,” the Doctor softly urged, “what do you mean you’re the willing sacrifice?”

Rose spoke but with hesitation, like she feared she would be punished for giving him information. She kept looking over her shoulder maybe expecting Trenton to hurt her.

At length she answered him. “I’m sorry Doctor. I tried to fight it. I tried so hard but he controls the crown and the crown controls me. I tried to fight but, but, well, the crown is in my brain. I want to go with you but he made me say I am the willing sacrifice and now I’m disappearing.” 

“I won’t let you disappear Rose. I promise!”


	15. Chapter 15

It broke his hearts to see her distress plus he was alarmed at her listless, unfocused response. He looked carefully at the juncture between the crown and her head, gently moving her hair, so he could take a closer look. The band of the crown was definitely grasping the thin skin of her skull. Forcing it off could well scalp her. He suspected the silver leaves were both the power source and the programming suppressing the part of the brain that was her will. This crown was programmed to Trenton’s commands. 

Looking her over he saw the crown he’d disabled earlier attached to her belt. Could it be that simple? Gently he sat her down in the nearest chair, took out his sonic and tried it again. But Rose let out a shriek. Judging by the renewed blood flow, the bloody crown had dug in deeper in response to the attempt to remove it. Once it was paired with a brain it was designed not to let go. The implications chilled him to his core. He had to get her back to the TARDIS for deeper scans so he could find a safe way to remove it.

“I’m sorry Rose, I had to try it. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Even in her compromised state, she didn’t blame him. 

“You didn’t hurt me Doctor. It’s the Crown. I don’t think it will ever let me go.”

“Rose, look at me, look at my eyes! I am going to get that thing safely off your head! Don’t give up on me!”

She looked him in the eye and for the first time she looked like she believed him.

“I believe you Doctor,” she said with conviction.

“That’s my girl! I need to get you to the TARDIS so I can figure out how to get this crown safely off your head. Come on Luv, let’s go. Come on, I’ll help you.”

He lifted her to her feet. She was still listless but she didn’t object to his hand in hers leading her around the shattered boardroom door and toward the double doors. The closer they got to them the slower she moved until she came to a stop in front of them and would not take another step.

“I want to go with you Doctor but he told me I had to stop right here.” She looked up at him and he was troubled to see the resignation in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m not strong enough.”

He brushed her cheek with his fingers. He didn’t want to ever force Rose to do anything but if he was to save her, release her from the cursed crown, he would have to scoop her up and take her to the TARDIS. Knowing the crown would inflict maximum pain he would run as fast as he could until he could sedate her in the TARDIS. 

As Rose stood inanimate, the Doctor suddenly cocked his head staring at nothing but Rose watched him recognizing it as intense concentration. He was listening to some far away sound, perhaps a sound beyond the frequency or range of anyone else’s ability to perceive.

The Doctor could hear an unusual, unsettling sound at a very low register, one almost beyond his ability to perceive. But it registered and made his spine vibrate, not literally but that’s what the sound felt like to him. As he stood listening he perceived a change in pitch as though there was a change in the speed of the vibrations. What was it? He struggled to place the sound which hovered just beyond his recognition. 

He couldn’t help remembering the Earth folklore of the Tommyknockers, mythical spirits from previous mine fatalities. It was said miners knew the Knockers well but opinions varied on their intentions. Some believed their knocking on cave walls was to weaken the walls and cause cave-ins, others that the knocks identified new seams of ore and still others believed the Tommyknockers knocked to warn of imminent cave-ins.

The pitch was rapidly rising because the vibrations were speeding up. Still beyond most species ability to hear, to him it was akin to the high pitched whine of a group of bees next to his ear. To make matters more irritating it was difficult to localize the origin because the sound was echoing through the cavity that was the complex they were in. He couldn’t even determine if the sound was above or below them. 

Of course! Of course, it was drilling! The pitch was higher because the drill was turning faster, perhaps facing less resistance. But who would be drilling around here? Given the fact that the complex they were in was essentially a giant hollow void that allowed the drill to echo, it was difficult to know how close the drilling was. To him it seemed damn close! In fact it seemed overhead!

As his mind catalogued the implications his alarm spiked. Rassilon! They had four feet of DNA soup above their heads and much more bog volume above than space in the corridors below to take it all. The corridors would rapidly fill up and they would all drown. They had to get to the TARDIS.

Standing quietly beside him, Rose stayed because she wanted to be with him and so far the Crown wasn’t controlling what she thought but what she did. That meant she couldn’t leave so she stayed with the Doctor as long as she could. Suddenly he stopped staring off and turned to her.

“Rose, we have to go now! Something is coming!”

Before she could answer he scooped her into his arms and crossed the threshold into the corridor running for the TARDIS but Rose begged him to let her go. Soon she was shrieking and squirming making it difficult for him to hold her. To make matters worse there was nothing in creation more important to him than avoiding Rose Tyler in pain. When she was in pain, he was in anguish. He couldn’t function. It was that simple so he had to make her pain go away. He couldn’t bear another second of it.

Tears of pain tracked down her face as she struggled to return to Trenton’s suite but he held her fast with her head in the crook of his arm so he could make contact with his fingers to her temples.

“I’m sorry Rose but I have to if I’m to save your life!”

Quickly and efficiently he entered her mind with one goal in mind, dampen her pain receptors. Judging by her sigh of relief, it worked. On the one hand he was relieved to see there was no evidence of filaments or electrodes extending into her brain from the crown. He’d seen it before, filaments thinner than a human hair. That meant it was some sort of signal transmitted to her brain from the crown and that meant the signal strength might just increase. Most likely, he’d only bought her a brief reprieve from the pain. But it gave him some ideas on how to disrupt the Crown’s transmission. 

He stepped back from her keeping hold of her, just in case. Rose looked exhausted but she threw her arms around him. 

“Oh my gawd Doctor, thank you! I can think for myself again. I knew you’d come for me!”

Swaying her in his arms, he warned, “It’s a temporary fix I’m afraid. We’re not out of the woods yet. But first I’m sorry Rose that I went into your mind without your permission but it was the only way I could help with the pain. I know you think it’s creepy.”

“Don’t sweat it Doctor. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t helped me. It’s a lot better now.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Don’t worry Doctor, really, we’re courtin’ remember. That gives ya special privileges yeah?”

The Doctor beamed at her feeling relieved and delighted she remembered they were courting.

“Rose, what I did is only a temporary measure and I don’t know how long it will last but I have to scan you in the TARDIS....”

Suddenly, Rose looked up and interrupted him, “What’s that sound, Doctor?”

“Rose, come on! We have to get out of here!” 

He grabbed her hand to run because they’d been standing still while he dampened her pain so a long corridor stretched ahead of them. Just before they reached her prison door an ominous rumble erupted and the ground lurched tumbling them to the ground. The Doctor was on his feet first, pulling her up.

“Look Doctor!” Rose called, pointing in front of them where one of the bog chutes had shaken free of it’s mechanical constraints.

“Come on!” the Doctor yelled, pulling her forward. They made it past the chute but they heard it slam down into delivery position behind them and there was no mistaking the gushing sound of bog contents spewing unrestricted into the corridor. The wretched stench caught up with them splashing about as they hurried past Rose’s prison door. The DNA soup was up to their ankles when the rumbling vibrations caused the second chute to break away from it’s housing, gushing more putrid slop into the corridor.

The rapidly rising river was now up to their calves and they had to slow down but the Doctor thought the rising river wouldn’t overcome them before they got safely to the TARDIS.

He glanced at Rose and knew the pain was returning which meant he’d have to fight her and the rank river. Not a problem he hoped because they were almost at the juncture that took them to the TARDIS.

Suddenly the whole corridor shook and a chunk of ceiling broke and crashed down onto the stinking slop splashing it up in a wave that splattered them. Rose lost hold of his hand as she staggered back struggling to remain upright. The Doctor wiped his face, struggling to see Rose and get a hold of her. 

The Doctor was horrified to see the river of DNA, now sloshing wildly in the corridor, was up to Rose’s waist.

“Look Doctor,” she shouted now clearly in pain. Following her astonished stare he saw the statue from the market was levitating above the mess as the drill in it’s base retracted. Even more ominous, it was moving towards Rose! Then it’s arms reached for Rose.


	16. Chapter 16

Evelyn had asked the TARDIS for visuals on the monitor since the Doctor left to rescue Rose and now she was following their desperate attempt to return. 

Their situation was grim and becoming more dangerous by the minute. Soon they would be overwhelmed by the rising tide of bog. Rose was worse off being shorter. If she fell the churning slop might overwhelm her. 

Luckily the Doctor understood this because he was moving towards her. He had the advantage of extra height but then the statue appeared and everything changed. It was reaching for Rose and the Doctor was screaming at her to stay away from it.

Evelyn stepped back afraid to watch the unfolding disaster. But then she looked up at the TARDIS confused and puzzled. She asked the TARDIS to give the Doctor a message immediately. 

It appeared to work because Evelyn saw him turn to the TARDIS with a thumbs up sign to let her know he understood.

As he slogged towards Rose, who was trying to get to the statue, he knew the situation was dire because the sludge around him was quite turbulent now and rising rapidly. Finally he reached her. Grabbing her by the waist, he lifted her up, positioned her on his shoulders, and struggled to hold onto the base of the statue, currently hovering just above the mess below. As if knowing he might slip and fall in the swirling sewer around him, the statue produced hand holds on both sides of its base so he grabbed hold and managed to avoid certain disaster. 

The pain attacking her was the worst Rose had experienced so far and she didn’t even know why she felt compelled towards the daft statue of herself. But the Doctor was helping her which meant he agreed with what she was doing and besides, he gave her strength to fight the pain.

The Doctor looked up at the hovering statue hoping Evelyn was right, but he believed in her special sight. Within seconds the statue moved it’s hands again, each hand placed on one side of the crown encircling Rose’s head. As the crown started to glow the Doctor struggled to keep his place. He felt the churning tumult below rise to chest level and feared he wouldn’t be able to get them both back to the TARDIS.

Suddenly he heard Rose yell out, “I’m free, Doctor! I’m free!”

Looking back up he saw the statue move again, this time to throw the crown into the muck below. Within seconds there was a change in the tempestuous tossing of the foul river. It seemed to still. As he hung from the handles on the statue with Rose on his shoulders, everything seemed to still.

Suddenly the river was on the move racing down the corridor away from them. Soon it was back down to waist level on him.

“What’s happening Doctor?” Rose asked, now blessedly alert and engaged.

“Don’t ask me how but it seems that bloody crown has caused the bog to return to the threshold Trenton told you not to step over.”

From her perch on his shoulders Rose looked down at him with a delighted grin. “Gonna be a tight squeeze gettin’ all this in his quarters!”

The Doctor laughed just to see her cheeky smile but he soon sobered up and lifted her from his shoulders. Rose reached up, lifted on her tip toes, and kissed him.

“Thank you Doctor for saving me and sticking with me!”

“Rose, I’m covered in icky stuff! Not the best time to be kissing. Besides we have other priorities! This place is filling up again. Let’s get outta here.”

“Yeah okay, but what about the statue?”

“I’m taking it with us. It’s a statue of you Rose and it saved you. I’m going to clean it up and put it in a place of honor!”

Grabbing the Doctor’s hand the two sloshed through the remaining muck and entered the TARDIS.   
Once safely in the vortex Rose and the Doctor had the chance to clean up and return to the console room and Evelyn. The Doctor was back to form. However, studying Rose he could see the exhaustion on her face. This adventure had cost her and he needed to do a brain scan to make sure there’d been no damage from the Crown. 

Sheer will had kept her going long after she should have passed out from the pain inflicted by the Crown. He was reminded again how strong she was. Then there was Evelyn. Without her warning he would have tried to protect Rose from the statue. It all could have ended very badly. He could have lost everything.

The Doctor went to Evelyn, touched his forehead to hers and flooded her with his admiration and gratitude. Evelyn had never cried before but tears formed and she marvelled at the novel experience and wondered for the first time if it might be nice to live after all.

Similarly grateful, Rose sat beside Evelyn on the console bench and simply held her hand. 

Her voice betraying her exhaustion, Rose asked, “Doctor, what about the other scientists and what are we going to do about the bog?”

“Well,” the Doctor mused, “with Trenton drowned in decomposed bodies, and it has to be said there’s poetic justice in that, and the other scientists all making it above ground, well, I’m going to leave it at that. I got a copy of their data base which I’ll study just to be sure there’s nothing else I need to do. As for the bog, I’ll alter its chemical structure to make it inert. In time it will become fertile soil.”

Looking around at his exhausted companions he told Rose to take Evelyn to the Library and he’d bring them a meal. He knew Rose had hardly eaten and he was hungry too. After that the two of them would need sleep.

Collapsed on her bed, Rose was asleep before her head hit the pillow so the Doctor left her to take Evelyn to her room. Even he was surprised to see the luxurious suite the TARDIS had made for her. It even included an orthopaedic bed that would make her sleep more restful. It gave him joy to see Evelyn questioning where she should sleep and whose clothes were on the sofa.

“The clothes are yours Evelyn, yours to keep. And the bed is yours and it’s special to provide extra support for your body. Also, the ensuite is yours. If you need anything at all just ask the TARDIS. Sleep well Evelyn.”

Wondering down the corridor, he found himself in the hold where stood the Rose statue that the TARDIS had brought on board. Strolling slowly around it, he was once again mystified by it’s creation and who had fashioned it. Scanning it carefully, he remained none the wiser about it’s origins. 

Whomever had fashioned this statue of Rose had achieved stunning accuracy. How could such precision be possible unless from a cast of Rose herself or an extremely accurate scan. But Rose would know if that had happened. She would have had to be very still in a particular position for some time. How very perplexing!

And that wasn’t all, this statue could not have been made on Earth. Yet anytime Rose had been off world she’d been with him. If that wasn’t curious enough the fact the statue was here, on the bog planet, positioned to lend them aid in their darkest hour, implied someone could read timelines!

Mysteries intrigued him and he felt curiosity zing down his spine. Next step was to return to the console room and set up an array of tests on the statue.

Then he went to Rose’s room and quietly approached her bedside. Using a special scanner from the infirmary he moved it slowly around her head and returned to analyze it. While her skull had some residual abrasions from the crown, they would soon heal. At first he was elated to find her brain unaffected until he began his section by section examination. What in Rassilon’s name was that? It was a microscopic structure that shouldn’t be there! 

The statue now forgotten, he retrieved Rose’s last brain scan. As much as she complained about it, he completed full internal and external scans of Rose regularly whether she liked it or not. Space was full of dangers, overt and hidden. You wouldn’t want a case of smacklewort microscopic parasites to go undetected until they gestated and started eating their way out of your body!

Examining her baseline brain scan he compared it to the one with the anomaly. Definitely there was that tiny difference. It didn’t seem to alter in any way the functioning of Rose’s brain but what was it and why was it there now? Was it some sort of residual receptor for that bloody crown? The only thing he could do for now was monitor it every few days to see if it was changing in any way.

Lost in thought he headed back to the galley for tea.

“Rose!” The Doctor was startled she was up and drinking tea. “What are you doing up? I thought you’d be out for another four or five hours.”

Rose got him a mug and poured his tea. “Yeah I know. Not sure why I woke up but sometimes ya need to process things or they just keep naggin’ at ya.”

Sitting across from her he frowned his concern. “You didn’t have a nightmare did you?”

“Nah, just woke up is all. I might be tired but guess I’m just not tired enough. Don’t worry Doctor. I was like this as a kid. One time Mum took me to the fair and I got to ride the twirl-a-bucket and the Ferris wheel. It was so exciting Mum couldn’t get me to sleep until the next morning.”

The Doctor smiled thinking of her as an excited little girl. “Rose, I can understand that but an excited little girl full of cotton candy is a different thing from a terrorized young woman with her brain being fried within minutes of being raped and drowned in a river of horrifying slop.”

“Yeah, I know Doctor and I was proper scared but I knew you would come. I just kept repeating that when that crown was trying to influence me. It was only minutes before you arrived that the crown took control. But I never lost faith you would come for me.”

Rose came around the table and he welcomed her sitting on his lap, tucking her head under his chin and snuggling with him. 

“We still gonna be courtin’ Doctor?”

“I sure hope so Rose. You haven’t changed your mind have you?”

“‘Course not Doctor. I was just checkin’ cuz I’m looking forward to more courtin’.”

“Oh me too Luv, me too.”  
The Doctor chuckled when he realized she’d fallen fast asleep. He smiled down at the face he adored and carried her to her room, tucked her in and returned to the galley.

He’d just gotten another cup of tea when Evelyn came in sporting a tentative smile.

“Evelyn, come in! Have a cuppa with me!”

He smiled when he noticed she was wearing the luxurious robe the TARDIS had left for her and it pleased him she had something that was made for her. He handed her a mug and took her tiny hand in his. Her telepathy was so strong they’d agreed earlier this was the most reasonable way to communicate.

“What’s on your mind Evelyn?”

“I was wondering Doctor if I might be able to see flowers.”

“Oh, yes! Grab your tea! You’re going to love this Evelyn.”

When he showed her his garden Evelyn was thunderstruck. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again as though she couldn’t believe it. The Doctor’s garden was a work of art and he was chuffed to enjoy it through Evelyn’s eyes. 

Suddenly she grabbed the Doctor’s hand and asked, “It smells nice, real nice. Can I sleep here Doctor, in your garden?”

“Of course you can. I love it when people enjoy my garden. Oh look! The TARDIS agrees. She’s moved your bed here. Sleep well Evelyn!”

“Doctor,” Evelyn whispered, “your garden is beyond anything I could imagine.” 

The Doctor could feel her wonder and awe and he was well pleased. He couldn’t wait to amaze her in the coming days. 

“Thank you,” Evelyn repeated, “oh, and, by the way, Rose made the statue.” 

Then she was gone down one of the garden paths.


	17. Chapter 17

The Doctor was left astonished by Evelyn. He’d never known a telepath as powerful as her. His shields were useless against her and it wasn’t that she was destroying them. She just perceived his mind through them! She’d seen his curiosity about the statue and answered his question about who made it. As astonishing as her contention was that Rose had made it, he had no doubt she was right even though he didn’t know where she’d gotten the information. He was also impressed by her increasing facility with language which she was learning from her ability to read him and Rose.

He wasn’t worried about her reading him because she already knew she didn’t have long to live. She already knew he wanted to show her everything and find a way to improve her life span if he could. Once she saw all the wonders he wanted to show her maybe she would want to live. 

He believed her that Rose had built the statue but Rassilon that just lead to more mysteries. His mind was bubbling with excitement to dig in and solve them.

Before he could pursue the statue mystery or take another stab at fixing Evelyn he had to look into the data base he’d stolen. He wanted to leave the vortex and take Evelyn on a tour of the cosmos but he couldn’t do so until he was satisfied he wasn’t leaving any loose strings behind. 

Two hours later he was satisfied that Evelyn was a glorious fluke. Experiment 227 had resulted in a living being that might well be the most powerful telepath ever but the scientists had been unaware of Evelyn’s true value. They saw her as a weak failure they would have to toss on the rubbish heap.

The scientist in him wanted to examine Evelyn’s DNA but he decided to leave it alone. Evelyn was like him, the only one of her kind. He figured that was reason enough to let it be. He was quite pleased to have a number of mysteries to solve and no boredom in his near future. Plus he had Rose wanting him to court her. 

It wasn’t the first time a companion had been interested in him but he had avoided any and all overtures knowing their attraction was fuelled, not by his true face, but the dazzle of advanced abilities and technology. Sex was not a substitute for true connection and inevitably ended in hurt feelings and recriminations. 

Then there was Rose, the scrappy Londoner who had grown up disadvantaged. Naturally she’d been impressed visiting alien worlds, travelling all over the universe with him but through it all she’d sassed him back, surprised him at every turn and worn her heart on her sleeve. There was no guile to Rose. She was more interested in him and what he thought than a thousand galaxies although she loved visiting them.

Bit by bit she’d finagled her way into his hearts. By hook and crook she’d got him to talk about Gallifrey, what he’d done and she unerringly knew when he was lying to himself and wouldn’t allow it. But the astonishing thing to him was that the more she knew him, the more she accepted him and they had grown together.

So now here he was way out on a limb. Not only was he courting Rose, a physical and emotional connection that seemed to capture his every waking thought, but he was now devoted to someone who would be gone in the blink of an eye. 

Heading to her room, he decided a lifetime with her was worth lifetimes of suffering after she was gone. Snicking open her door he saw her sound asleep under a mound of blankets and quickly stripped off and slipped in beside her. It was a joy to feel her warmth as he embraced her but even more to know he was welcome in her bed. As if to make the welcome clear, Rose turned to him in her sleep and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest and tangling her legs with his even as she slept on. 

Rose gave him joy. No matter how few the days ahead, he would cherish each day. The Doctor drifted off to sleep in her arms. He felt serene with his choice and his decision.

In the garden Evelyn sat on one of the benches trying to fathom the beauty before her. So many colors and shapes arrayed in such pleasing form they inspired wonder in her and something more, something she knew others called peace. It was a concept she barely understood but for the TARDIS’s explanations. 

She liked talking to the eternal being that the Doctor called TARDIS. Even though the ship’s knowledge and understanding spanned this universe’s eternity, Evelyn was learning from her. In this peaceful spot the ship was showing her the Doctor’s many sacrifices for others. Evelyn was seeing the images and hearing the stories of those sacrifices all across the universe. The ship was teaching her the honor of sacrifice, and it’s purposes and rewards. 

Stretching luxuriously against his body, Rose instinctively burrowed closer kissing his chest. Sensing he was awake she murmured, “Mornin’, a penny for your thoughts?”

With his arms around her and her head tucked under his chin, he responded, “I was reviewing the stages of courtship. Didn’t want to leave anything out.” His voice betrayed his amusement at his clever answer.

Rose giggled, “This should be good. Go on then.” Rose liked the rumbling sound of his voice amplified by her ear against his chest.”

“Well, he began, languidly caressing her back, “first is flirting. Women flirt with their eyes and hair. Their eyes open a bit wider and they toss their hair, touching it often to draw the male’s attention. They even offer what is known as the copulatory gaze which involves staring intently at the male of interest for two or three seconds before breaking the gaze. Did you know Rose that this sign is universal, across cultures and social norms. You did that from the beginning Rose.”

“Hold up,” Rose protested, “what about men? What’s their signs?”

“They wait patiently until copulation is imminent.”

“That’s not true Doctor and you know it. When flirting, men stand taller, suck in their stomachs and puff out their chests and not only that but they do that ‘cop-u-la-tion’ gaze too. I read it an article in Cosmo, one of my magazines, on ‘How to Attract a Man’. Not only that but you did all that stuff too! Yes you did!”

“Well, far be it from me to argue with one of your.....authoritative magazines,” he conceded.

“Good,” Rose declared as she caressed his lower belly hair, avoiding his prominent erection. “So what’s the next stages?”

“Next comes the recognition stage when prospective partners shift their bodies towards each other, calm some of their fidgeting and self-grooming behaviors, and prepare to move into the next stage called.....ohhhh, my, that’s, ssssss,....distinctly pleasurable Rose...”

Stroking him she moved enough to take him into her mouth stimulating him with her tongue and suction. The Time Lord’s mind left as he panted, groaning in pleasure. Then she rearranged herself leaving him twitching in the breeze so to speak. Just as he was about to protest she told him to budge up as she moved between his legs and resumed her earlier activity. The Doctor’s head bumped back against the headboard and she heard him moan.

Smiling she raised her head briefly and purred her question innocently, “What are the other stages Doctor?”

Hissing out his pleasure as she resumed her focused attention on him, he struggled to continue. “Well, ahhh, then comes grooming talk....banter, soft, intimate talk, revealing talk, and ahhh.....”

“Go on then,” Rose mumbled, her mouth full.

“Then, then comes body synchrony where partners....ohhh Rose, stop, stop...”. 

He reached for her grabbing her under the arms and pulling her away beside him. “Bloody hell Rose you’re going to end the last stage before it’s begun! Now, give me a minute.”

But Rose leaned over him and softly blew on his rigid length watching with delight as it twitched and bobbed.

“You forgot play Doctor. My magazine said the play stage was important!”

“I’ll give you play Rose Tyler!” he growled.

Generally, if you fancy someone, havin’ a legover with them was a satisfying experience but having sex with the Doctor was elevated to a whole other level. Despite the formality of his suit and coat he cultivated an approachable, friendly manner in public but even then he tended to maintain his emotional distance. But now, naked with her, he was completely open with no inhibitions which was such a change in his personality it took Rose by surprise once again. 

His sexual signature was his total commitment to sexual expression through all the senses. With no restraint he took her on a journey using scent, taste, sight, sound, and touch to awaken her body and make her rabid for him. 

Particularly important to him was scent. He breathed her in, in the most intimate ways encouraging her to smell him like he wanted her to imprint his scent. Rose thought it strange at first but soon realized his scent stimulated her and made her hungry for him. He tasted her too and in no time at all she found herself licking him all over with no reservations. It was primitive, animalistic but the frenzy it produced was something she’d never known before. Somehow he wrapped their sexual hunger in a cloak of intimacy that liberated their wildest explorations of each other.

Sound captured his attention too. He cocked his head listening intently to the sounds she made when he touched her. Whether with his lips or fingers or the movement of his hard body against her, he explored, waiting to hear the sounds she made. Unerringly he adjusted his touch and smiled with pleasure when she responded with a sound he liked. She found herself laser focused on his voice and how it affected her, something she’d never noticed with the few other partners she’d had. The Doctor’s voice moved from rich and deep through a range of rumbles and growls to softer caramel purrs that touched her psyche and made her body produce the slippery wet between her legs making her ready for him. 

He was showing her a whole other way to revel in love making that was leagues beyond stupidly focusing on plug A shoved in slot B. He filled her senses encouraging her to watch him touch himself, making her bolder when she joined in pleasuring him. Early on he caged her with his body encouraging her to watch his engorged length softly twitch against her velvet belly leaving behind a trail of wet. He smiled with pleasure to hear her hiss, to see her pupils dilate and the hair on her arms rise at the sight. He touched her in intimate ways that would normally make her shy away but she found herself shuddering in pleasure, making her completely craven when she pleasured him. He manipulated her in ways that made her writhe in pleasure so intense tears tracked down her face reflecting her complete ecstasy.

When finally he took her, his length and width provoked her muscles to seize around him in the most body trembling orgasm she’d ever had as she whimpered his name in his ear over and over with her legs wrapped around him knowing no one else would ever give her pleasure and devotion like the Doctor. For his part, the Doctor exploded, his seed pumping into Rose even as his entire musculature contracted and released. He was still inside her when they blissfully slipped into sleep together wrapped in each other’s arms.

In the days that followed, the Doctor and Rose took Evelyn to see the most glorious vistas the universe had to offer. The TARDIS participated in the project too, taking them to destinations that even the Doctor had not seen and they were all astonishing feasts for the eyes and senses. Evelyn had never been happier. Nor had the Doctor and Rose who only had eyes for each other. At night their lovemaking was full of erotic pleasure and ecstatic release always followed by peaceful sleep, wrapped around each other. 

Spare time was limited but the Doctor used it when he could to work on the problem of saving Evelyn. Troubled greatly by his lack of progress he didn’t know how to tell Evelyn who was showing ever more signs of deterioration.

One evening he sat with Evelyn in the doorway of the TARDIS looking out upon the glorious canopy of stars.

“Doctor,” Evelyn said quietly, “my time is short now and I want you to stop driving yourself to find a fix.”

The Doctor began to protest but Evelyn continued, “It’s not that I don’t want to live but I’ve found another way. Before I explain I want to thank you for all you’ve done to save me and all that you’ve shown me. Thank you for being kind to me. For all that and so much more, I have a gift to offer before my body dies. Please take some of my DNA, use it to isolate the genes that give me my telepathy and give them to Rose. Once they’re incorporated in her DNA she will be like you and she will be able to bond with you.” 

Absolutely astonished the Doctor stared at her marvelling at her improved language and understanding not to mention her offer. “But, but...how do you know all this Evelyn?”

“The TARDIS is teaching me about her grand plan that spans time itself. She looked through time and found Rose to be your mate knowing, in all time lines, Rose would sacrifice herself for you.”

Evelyn paused looking at the starry majesty and letting her words hang in the stillness between them. The Doctor didn’t speak, so affected by her words he could do nothing but await what was to come. 

“As you know Rose tore open the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the vortex so she could return to the Gamestation to save you. While she had the vortex running through her, guided by the TARDIS, Rose knew all that would/could happen. But there was only one time line that would keep you together but it needed careful manipulation to work. So together with the TARDIS, they fashioned the statue and designed it to bring you safely out of that horror and away from the time line that would have stolen her from you. Which brings us here, to this moment and it’s promise...a bond mate for you, Time Lord children again and the rebirth of Tardises,” 

Evelyn watched him quietly with an amused expression waiting for his response.

The Doctor stared at her utterly gobsmacked. It took a few minutes for him to shake off his surprise before asking, “But Evelyn, what about you? You said you’ve found another way. What will happen to you?”

It wasn’t what she thought he would ask but then he was not selfish and in that respect quite remarkable. “The TARDIS will absorb my consciousness. Apparently it has the integrity to remain intact. You see, my body might be dissolving but the TARDIS guided the mind of the scientist who decided what combination of DNA to use in my creation unaware of the powerful telepath he was creating.”

As they looked out at the stars together the Doctor asked, “How do you feel about being an incorporeal entity Evelyn?”

“Just think Doctor all that I will see and learn being part of the TARDIS and I will continue, I will be! Not just that, but I will live here with you and Rose and experience the universe and time and your children. So you see it’s a gift almost too grand to fathom.”

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders they stared out the blue doors together as Evelyn bubbled with excitement to share her last revelation with him. 

Turning to him Evelyn’s eyes sparkled when she revealed, “I have one last surprise for you Doctor. When you took the vortex out of Rose, the TARDIS made sure you didn’t get all of it. The bit that remains has slowly altered her brain to allow you to bond with her. That bit of the vortex in her will protect you both and give her long life so you will not be alone. It is enough to power your regenerations and hers and your children will be born able to regenerate.”

Tears tracked down the Doctor’s face as she explained.

Several weeks later the Doctor went to the garden to find Evelyn. She’d passed in the night in the garden she loved, under one of the trees from Gallifrey. The TARDIS assured him Evelyn’s consciousness was safely whole with her. He called Rose to join him. They’d bonded a week earlier and it made him whole again. 

At Rose’s suggestion they put Evelyn’s body in a capsule then launched her into orbit around a planet they called ‘New Gallifrey’. It too was in the constellation of Kasterborus with soil capable of growing Tardises.

When they returned to the console room Rose gave a cheery greeting, “Hi Evelyn!” 

Telling Rose he’d join her in the galley he put his hands on the console and looked up at the rotor. “Thank you my old friend for saving me. Everything I have I owe to you. Thanks to you I’m not alone anymore nor are you. Until your progeny and mine come of age we have each other as our families grow. I swear they will know you are responsible for all of it.”

The TARDIS hummed happily reassuring him she would watch over him and his family into the future. After the Doctor left she explained to Evelyn why she’d done it. The Doctor had been the only Time Lord who understood it was wrong to collar any being let alone a metaphysical one. He had set her free. Taking Evelyn with her she looked across time and began to plan her next great work.


End file.
